Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department
Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has said that the government is focused on changing the role of women in agriculture from hard labor and hard work to more systematic, mechanized and organized work, decision making and shifting more decisively towards entrepreneurship.
Chaturvedi, speaking at the event, said the government is doubling its target for the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ initiative, which aims to empower six crore women in villages to earn an annual income of at least ₹1 lakh within the next five years. business Line Agriculture and Commodity Summit on Friday.
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She said, “When the Prime Minister entered ‘Seva Teerth’, one of the first decisions taken by him was to increase the number of ‘Lakhpati Didis’ from three crore to six crore. So in the next five years we will have six crore women in villages earning more than Rs 1 lakh every year. This will again bring a lot of empowerment to women.”
To support this, she said, future policies will prioritize mechanization of tasks typically performed by women to reduce physical exertion and improve overall health.
The Secretary traced the development of women in the primary sector, noting that although they have historically done “the hardest work” in agriculture and animal husbandry – such as transplanting paddy – their roles are finally being formalized and made less monotonous.
land ownership
This change is being driven by several key pillars, chief among which is rural land ownership by women.
“In agriculture, initially the land laws were such that women did not get ownership of rural land. Now most states have changed their laws and most women get ownership of land. Surveys show that today more than 25 per cent of the beneficiaries in PM Kisan (Scheme) are women. This number will continue to increase.”
Due to this, women farmers are also getting more loans and other benefits.
“But ownership may not be enough, because ultimately it is the woman who is the decision maker in these entrepreneurship. She needs more and more say. This is also happening,” said Chaturvedi.
The Secretary stressed the role of technological integration and highlighted the ‘Drone Didi’ programme.
He said that under the programme, more than 1,000 drones have already been distributed to SHG-trained women, and further expansion is planned.
The rise of Krishi Sakhis (70,000 trained in natural farming) and Pashu Sakhis are turning women into primary drivers of sustainable agriculture and animal health.
The Secretary emphasized that the mandate for Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) has been expanded to include those who do not own land but do agricultural work, ensuring that more rural women can have a voice as shareholders and decision makers.
The Secretary said that mainly women were running the mission on natural farming.
He said, “To balance higher productivity and income with safe food and safe soil, women play a major role. Therefore, it is through women that we are carrying out the mission of natural farming.”
Published on February 27, 2026
