What is the Government Doing for Women in Agriculture?

Here are the steps being taken by the government / civil societies/ NGOs for upliftment of the women in agricultural sector. We’ll cover the implementation of these schemes in another post.

Government sponsored schemes

• Support to States Extension Programme for Extension Reforms: –  Gender concerns in agriculture is being addressed by ensuring utilization of minimum 30% of resources on programmes and activities for women farmers and women extension functionaries. In order to encourage women farmers’ participation in planning and decision-making process, their representation in Farmers’ Advisory Committee at Block, District and State level has been provided under the Scheme’s guidelines.

• Sub Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP): The training is provided under the components of the Scheme Seed Village Programme and Quality Control Arrangement of Seeds in which women farmers are equally benefitted. State         Governments are also advised to allocate adequate funds to women farmers.

• National Food Security Mission (NFSM): Implemented in 28 states, 30% of allocation of fund is being earmark for women farmer. There is also an intervention under NFSM providing cropping system-based training to farmers including SC, ST and women farmers to create awareness on improved technology for increasing production and productivity of crops.

• National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP): 30% of budgetary allocation is being earmarked for women beneficiaries/farmers. Concerned implementing agencies will be responsible for monitoring implementation of these components i.e. allocation of resources for SC/ST/Women beneficiaries and maintenance of database for the same.

• Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), 31 drudgery reducing technologies for women in agriculture developed by ICAR are promoted through training, demonstration and financial assistance. Women beneficiaries are also provided 10% additional financial assistance for purchase of various agricultural machines and equipment’s.

• National Horticulture Mission, women are organized into Self Help Groups and farm inputs and technological & extension supports are provided to make women self-reliant

Other schemes

 Dena Shakti Scheme
This scheme is provided by Dena bank to those women entrepreneurs in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing, micro-credit, retail stores, or small enterprises; who are in need of financial assistance. The interest rate is also decreased by 0.25% along with the maximum loan amount being ₹20 lakhs for retail trade; education and housing whereas ₹50,000 under the microcredit. 

 Udyogini Scheme
This scheme is offered by Punjab and Sind Bank so as to provide women entrepreneurs involved in Agriculture, retail and small business enterprises to get loans for business at flexible terms and concessional interest rates. The maximum amount of loan under this scheme for women between the age bracket of 18-45 years is ₹1 lakhs but your family income is also taken into consideration and is set at ₹45,000 per annum for SC/ST women. 

Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP)

 MKSP was launched in 2011 as a sub-component of National Rural Livelihoods

Its aim was to provide the women in the agricultural sector with the access to the markets, access to resources and access to information. 75 % of funding was done by the ministry of rural development rest of the funding is done by the state government of the respective state. Currently 14 states have undergone the same.