Feminization of Indian Agriculture: Bridging the Gap in Land Rights and Credit Access

The 'feminization of agriculture' in India refers to the increasing participation of women in agricultural activities, primarily driven by the out-migration of men from rural to urban areas in search of non-farm employment. While women now perform the bulk of primary agricultural operations—from sowing and weeding to harvesting and post-harvest management—their status as 'farmers' remains largely unrecognized in legal and financial frameworks. According to recent reports, women hold less than 14% of operational landholdings in India. This disparity is a result of deeply entrenched patriarchal norms and slow progress in implementing inheritance laws, such as the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005. The lack of land titles creates a 'vicious cycle' of exclusion: without land as collateral, women are unable to access institutional credit, government subsidies, or crop insurance. Consequently, they are often forced to rely on informal moneylenders at exorbitant interest rates, further entrenching rural poverty and indebtedness.