Women Farmers

An overwhelming majority of rural women who are counted as Workers in the Indian economy (there are very few women who are not workers, of course) are engaged in Agriculture. Agriculture, on the other hand, survives and thrives mostly on women’s labour. The number of women days that go into Indian farming is far higher than the number of men days. Despite such significant contribution to our agriculture and this nation’s food security, women farmers are not even recognised and identified as Farmers. They are hardly supported as Farmers, in a patriarchal setup where most land is owned by men. ASHA recognises that social justice issues are as important as economic and enviromental issues plaguing Indian agriculture. Women farmers’ empowerment is truly important both because women farmers are entitled to the same, and also because Indian agriculture cannot move forward by ignoring a significant section of farmers. While ASHA does not do any specific work separately on this front, it follows the lead taken by networks like MAKAAM, and seeks to improve its own perspective from feminist activists in MAKAAM.