Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India at the inaugural session of Hindu BusinessLine Agri & Commodity Summit 2026. Photo Courtesy: Bijoy Ghosh
Although the role of women in agriculture is changing from drudgery and drudgery to more systematic work, it is still not enough to bring about real change in the rural economy.
Women are the real beneficiaries of schemes like water, electricity or Swachh Bharat Mission, but there is a need to empower them by ensuring availability of basic amenities in all areas.
More women have become members of farmer-producer organizations (FPOs) due to changes in land laws, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said while inaugurating BusinessLine’s fifth Agriculture and Commodity Summit in New Delhi on Friday.
5 important changes
“Initially, in agriculture, land laws did not allow women to own rural land. But now, most states have changed their laws, and most women are getting land ownership,” she said at the “Women – Pillar of Rural Economy” summit. business Line It is the first major forum to celebrate the “Year of Women Farmers” declared by the United Nations.
In his special address, NABARD Chairman Shaji KV identified five important structural changes that need to happen, one of which is formal recognition of women as farmers.
Women comprise about 50 per cent of the rural workforce in the agriculture sector, he said, adding that the government has come up with several initiatives to enable women to own farms.
Brahmani Nara, executive director of Heritage Foods, said women play a vital role in dairy, whose value is higher than grains, pulses and other crops. “Women are the custodians of nourishment and nutrition,” she said in a pointed conversation with BusinessLine editor Raghuveer Srinivasan.
Call for role change
Calling for a change in the dominant role of the silent architects of the rural economy, speakers across panels said there was a need to recognize their contribution to the sector.
Participating in the panel “Silent Architects of Rural Economy”, Sanjeev Kanwar, Managing Director, Yara South Asia and Country Head, Yara India, said that around 50-70 per cent of women farmers do not have land ownership in their name.
At the “Seed of Funding” panel, Ajay Kumar Jha, Deputy General Manager, Product Development and Marketing, SBI, called for motivating women farmers to move up the value chain from being mere producers to becoming processors. This, in a way, helps them solve the problem of providing funds.
Tripura’s “Lakhpati Didis” Aruna Debbarma and Maharashtra’s Vaishali Ghuge said they needed better markets and structured support for women self-help groups.
The stellar role of women in seeing precious metals as an asset was the focus of the panel, “Precious Metals: Beyond the Reach of the Common Man”.
NABARD was the presenting sponsor of the summit, while the associate sponsors were Yara India, Indofil Industries Limited, Bayer, HURL and Markfed Punjab. State Bank of India was the banking partner, and Agri Network Consultancy was the media partner.
Published on February 27, 2026
