In a move to give preference to women, the Agriculture Ministry has allocated at least 30 per cent of the fund in the Budget for agriculture schemes for women as part of efforts to bring them into mainstream agriculture.
As per latest data of Agriculture Ministry, 21 techniques related to women were evaluated and 2.56 lakh women were trained in agriculture-related fields like sewing, manufacturing, value addition, rural handicraft, animal husbandry, beekeeping, poultry and fisheries in 2016-17.
According to Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, the Ministry is trying to ensure that women become part of the mainstream agriculture and contribute to farm productivity and production as well as in doubling the income of their families. The minister was speaking on the occasion of Rashtriya Mahila Kisan Diwas on Sunday.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, women’s contribution to Indian agriculture is about 32 per cent, while in some States (such as Hills, Northeast, and Kerala) contribution of women to agriculture and rural economy is more than men. “Women are involved in 48 per cent agriculture-related employment whereas 7.5 crore women are playing a significant role in milk production and livestock management”, it said.
The Minister said that the decision to observe Rashtriya Mahila Kisan Diwas on October 15 was inspired as International Women’s Day by the United Nations Organisation. Singh said that Government is giving preference to women under various policies such as organic farming, self-employment scheme and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. The Minister added that women can propel the country towards second Green Revolution and they can change the landscape of the development if they get opportunities and facilities.
He said under the current scenario, women’s contribution to the prevention of climate change and management of natural resources cannot be denied. They play multi-dimensional roles in agriculture. They are contributing in every field of agriculture - from sowing to planting, drainage, irrigation, fertilizer, plant protection, harvesting, weeding, and storage. Apart from this, they are active in other activities like cattle management, fodder collection, milk and allied activities related to agriculture such as beekeeping, mushroom production, suction farming, goat rearing and poultry.