Women to move from drudgery to decision-making in agriculture: Union Agriculture Secretary

Inaugurating businessline’s fifth Agri and Commodity Summit in New Delhi on Friday (February 27, 2026), Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said women’s role in agriculture is changing from drudgery to more systematic working, but more needs to be done to bring real transformation to the rural economy.

More women have become members of farmer-producer organisations (FPO) due change in land laws, while women need to be empowered by ensuring availability of basic amenities across all sectors, though they are the beneficiaries of major schemes.

“Initially, in agriculture, land laws did not give women the ownership of rural land. But now, most States have changed their laws, and most women are getting the ownership of land,” he said in the summit, ‘Women — Pillar of Rural Economy’. businessline is the first major platform to commemorate the ‘Year of Women Farmer’, declared by the United Nations.

In his special address, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) chairman K.V. Shaji identified five important structural shifts that should happen, one of which is the formal recognition of women as farmers.

The road to 2047 for Indian agriculture

Stating that almost 50% of the rural workforce in the agricultural sector comprises women, he said the government has come up with several initiatives so that women can own farms.

Women play a key role in dairying, whose value has exceeded that of grains, pulses and other crops, said Brahmani Nara, executive director, Heritage Foods. “Women are the guardians of nutrition and nourishment,” she said in a fireside chat with businessline Editor Raghuvir Srinivasan.

Calling for a major role reversal of the “silent architects of the rural economy”, speakers across various panels said the contribution of women in the field needs to be recognised.

Sanjiv Kanwar, managing director, Yara South Asia and country head of Yara India, taking part in the panel, ‘Silent Architects of the Rural Economy’ said that almost 50-70% of women farmers do not have land titles in their name.

Ajay Kumar Jha, deputy general manager, Product Development and Marketing, State Bank of India (SBI), called for motivating women farmers to migrate up the value chain.

‘Lakhpati Didis’ Aruna Debbarma from Tripura and Vaishali Ghuge from Maharashtra, said they need better markets and structured support for women self-help groups (SHGs).

The shining role of women in viewing precious metals as an asset came into focus at the panel, ‘Precious Metals: Beyond Aam Aadmi’s Reach’.

NABARD was the presenting sponsor of the summit, while associate sponsors were Yara India, Indofil Industries Ltd, Bayer, HURL and Markfed Punjab. State Bank of India was the banking partner, and Agri Network Consultancy was the media partner.