Women Farmers of India

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The book is a significant study that brings to light the ever increasing role that women are playing in the agricultural and allied sectors in India, while the stake of the men folk has been dwindling day by day. Even though, the book argues, 'the face of the Indian farmer is a woman's face', women continue to get discriminated in this sector as seen through the lopsided manner in which their role is viewed both in public perception as well as by policy makers. The present pioneering study is likely to trigger a debate about 'the invisibility of women farmers' in India and the resultant social, economic, political and cultural complexities- the issues that have largely remained outside of the mainstream intellectual discourse.

Dr. Maithreyi Krishnaraj has been a pioneer in women studies in India having contributed regularly many articles and books on different aspects empirical work, methodologies, policy perspective and development studies. After retiring from Women Studies Centre, S.N.D.T. University, Mumbai, she joined on invitation the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, Netherlands as a Professor of Women and Development. Presently, she is an Honorary Fellow at the Research Centre for Women Studies, S.N.D.T. University, Mumbai. Among others, she is author of Food Security, Gender and Rural Livelihood.

Aruna Kanchi has a strong background in Public Finance. She has been working on gender impact of development policies. She has contributed to various journals on employment issues and is currently working on poverty alleviation programmes at the Research Centre for Women Studies, S.N.D.T. University, Mumbai.

Agriculture is the mainstay of the Indian economy and the fortunes of this sector determine even today the performance of the entire economy: it contributes 22 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 13 per cent of its exports. Viewed from another perspective, it supplies us with food and other primary products of consumption, provides inputs to industry and earns the nation valuable foreign exchange. More important, it is the largest source of employment: nearly 650 million men and women, constituting around 57 per cent of our population depend on this sector for their livelihood.

Traditionally, women have always played an important and varied role in agriculture-as farmers, co-farmers, family labour, wage labour, and as managers of farms. The selection, preservation and maintenance, the development and sharing of seed stock has long been the preserve of women. They have been active not just in crop cultivation but also in allied areas such as horticulture, livestock and fisheries. Their role has expanded in the last few decades. With men moving out of agriculture into other sectors, the future of this sector is now more than ever the hands of women. Yet in public perception and in policy the image of a farmer remains decidedly male.