Feminisation of agriculture refers to the increasing number of women in multiple roles as labourers, cultivators, farmers and entrepreneurs in agricultural sector. According to agricultural census 2011, there has been a 24 per cent increase in the number of female agricultural labourers between 2001 and 2011, from 49.5 million to 61.6 million. Women in rural areas, who do not own land, usually engage in agricultural labour activities.
Reasons for feminisation of agriculture:
- Migration of men to urban areas.
- Low agriculture productivity and low yield.
- In the last 20 years, the income disparity has increased between agriculture and other sector.
- With increased mechanisation of agriculture, men have moved to other non-farm activities while women have been confined to traditional roles such as winnowing, harvesting, sowing seeds and rearing livestock.
- Poverty