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Rising Gender Divide in Agriculture

Syllabus:

GS 3: Agriculture

Why in the News?

Recently, discussions on gender disparities in India’s agri-food systems have gained attention, highlighting how technological advancements and systemic barriers impact women’s productivity, decision-making, and access to resources in agriculture and fisheries.

Women’s Role in India’s Agri-Food Systems

• Women play a crucial role in India’s agri-food systems, contributing significantly to agriculture, livestock rearing, agroforestry, and fisheries.
• However, their productivity is severely impacted by institutional barriers that limit access to resources, technology, and decision-making opportunities.
• Gender intersects with caste and class to define their role in labour and power structures.
• Addressing these inequalities through technology and policy reforms is essential for improving women’s work conditions and overall agricultural productivity.

Women’s Contribution to Agri-Food Systems

• Women provide essential labour in farming, fisheries, and livestock management, yet their work often goes unpaid or underpaid.
• Their roles include tasks such as sowing, weeding, harvesting, threshing, de-hulling, and food processing.
• They are also engaged in small-scale fish vending, fish drying, and other fisheries-related activities.
• Despite their significant contributions, women face multiple constraints, including lack of access to technology, financial resources, and decision-making opportunities.

Challenges Faced by Women in Agriculture and Allied Sectors

Time Constraints Due to Labour-Intensive Tasks

• Women are often assigned labour-intensive and time-consuming activities.
• Manual weeding, threshing, and pulverizing increase their workload significantly.
• Lack of mechanized support means that their productivity remains lower compared to men.

Limited Access to Productive Resources

• Land ownership is predominantly male-dominated, leaving women with little control over productive resources.
• Limited access to credit, fertilizers, high-yield seeds, and irrigation facilities restricts their agricultural output.
• Women’s participation in decision-making about farm investments remains low.

Technology Designed for Men’s Efficiency

• Most agricultural technologies focus on increasing men’s efficiency rather than easing women’s workload.
• Mechanization has displaced women from paid agricultural work, further reducing their economic independence.
• Tractors and other farm machinery are seen as symbols of masculine dominance, restricting women’s participation in mechanized farming.

Gendered Division of Labour

• Women’s work in agriculture is often considered low-value compared to men’s.
• Decision-making in agriculture and fisheries is controlled largely by men, leaving women with less autonomy over their work.
• Societal norms reinforce these gender roles, making it difficult for women to break free from traditional responsibilities.

Case Study: M S Swaminathan Research Foundation’s Efforts

• The M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) has been actively working to bridge the gender divide in agriculture and fisheries.
• Its initiatives focus on increasing women’s access to technology and improving their productivity, decision-making power, and time management.

Reviving Small Millet Cultivation in Koraput, Odisha

• Small millet farming is heavily gendered, with men controlling major decisions regarding work division, resource allocation, and financial investments.
• Women are assigned low-value work, making their contributions invisible and undervalued.
• MSSRF’s interventions aim to provide women with access to farming knowledge, modern tools, and market opportunities.
• By enabling women to use machinery and technology, they can increase productivity and challenge gender norms.

Impact of Mechanization on Women’s Work in Agriculture

• Mechanization in agriculture has led to women losing their paid jobs.
• Machines such as combine harvesters and mechanized threshers have reduced the need for manual labour, which was previously performed by women.
• While men benefit from technology, women are often excluded due to lack of training and societal biases against their use of machinery.
• If technologies were designed to reduce women’s workload instead of displacing them, their productivity would significantly improve.

Challenges Faced by Women in the Fisheries Sector

Loss of Livelihood Due to Mechanization

• The introduction of large mechanized vessels and trawlers has negatively impacted women’s roles in fisheries.
• Modernized harbours and centralized landing centres are located far from women’s villages, making it difficult for them to access fish resources.
• While men gain increased opportunities for fishing and income, women struggle with limited access to fish for vending and processing.

Marginalization of Small-Scale Women Vendors

• Large buyers and export traders dominate fish markets, pushing small-scale women vendors to the edge.
• Women vendors have poor access to quality fish, leading to reduced income.
• Many women vendors earn less than Rs. 800 per day, a large portion of which goes towards travel and repaying debts.

Lack of Information and Market Access

• Women face challenges in obtaining market information, which affects their ability to make profitable sales.
• Poor knowledge of potential markets restricts their ability to negotiate better prices.
• Without proper technological interventions, women struggle to adapt to changing market conditions.

Possible Solutions to Empower Women in Agri-Food Systems

Promoting Gender-Inclusive Mechanization

• Develop and distribute farm equipment designed to reduce women’s workload.
• Provide training programs to encourage women to operate agricultural machinery.
• Ensure women’s participation in agricultural decision-making processes.

Improving Women’s Access to Financial and Productive Resources

• Implement policies that grant women ownership and control over land and other assets.
• Provide financial support, credit facilities, and subsidies targeted at women farmers and fish vendors.
• Strengthen cooperatives and women’s self-help groups to increase their bargaining power.

Enhancing Market Access and Information Availability

• Establish local markets that are accessible to women fish vendors and farmers.
• Provide digital platforms and mobile applications to facilitate better access to market data and pricing trends.
• Train women in business models and entrepreneurship to improve their financial independence.

Policy Interventions for Gender Equality

• Develop and implement policies that promote equal wages and work opportunities for women in agriculture and fisheries.
• Encourage government programs that focus on empowering women through skill development and entrepreneurship.
• Ensure representation of women in decision-making bodies related to agriculture and fisheries.

Conclusion

Women play a vital role in India’s agri-food systems but face systemic barriers. Gender-sensitive technology, resource access, and inclusive policies can enhance their productivity, ensuring a more equitable and efficient agricultural sector.

Source:

Indian Express

Mains Practice Question:

Examine the role of women in India’s agri-food systems and analyze the systemic barriers that hinder their productivity. How can gender-sensitive technological interventions help bridge this gap?