Constraints and opportunities for women in agriculture in India

Abstract

Woman plays a vital role in agricultural sector, as it is largely a household enterprise. They are the active participant in farm activities and processing farm products, in addition to their domestic and reproductive responsibilities. Women as farmers, agricultural labourer and entrepreneurs, constitute the backbone of India's agricultural and rural economy. But still their contributions are ignored since ages. Approximately Seventy percent of world poor are women and the major problems they face are peculiar social, cultural, educational, political and allied problems. Access to land, water, credit and other agricultural inputs, technology, new practices and extension services, education are the major constraints faced by rural women. Providing due recognition to women’s work as well as access to education, extension services, information, land, credit facilities, resources, modern technologies and other relevant agricultural innovations will entice many women to agricultural productions and will help to reduce poverty among women farmers. So the improvement in productivity, profitability, stability, and sustainability of major farming systems can be obtained by integrating technology, work, and resources (both financial and social) effectively with gender, so that both men and women can play the active role in order to achieve the goal.