Labor to Leadership: The Rising Role of Women in Agriculture-Dependent Communities

11 March 2025, New Delhi: As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, a new study by ICRISAT, the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, and Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), in collaboration with the University of East Anglia, sheds light on the transformative yet often overlooked experiences of women in agriculture-dependent households in the Global South.

The research spans four diverse agroecological regions in India—forested, mountainous, semi-arid, and coastal. It highlights how women are innovating, organizing, and leading in the face of male migration, poverty, and climate change.

While male migration is often seen as a strategy to cope with economic and environmental challenges, this study reveals that women are not just passive recipients of remittances but active agents of change, reshaping agricultural practices and community dynamics.

Innovations and Collective Action

Women in some of the most economically challenged regions have leveraged remittances to invest in agricultural equipment like pump sets and threshing machines, reducing labor burdens and improving productivity.

Others adopted innovative farming techniques, such as trellis farming for vegetable cultivation, after participating in NGO-led training programs. These women not only ensured food security for their families but also generated income by selling surplus produce in local markets.

In another region, a women’s federation supported by an external organization has become a cornerstone of empowerment.

This International Women’s Day, celebrated under the theme “Accelerate Action,” aligns perfectly with the study’s call to invest in policies that recognize and amplify women’s diverse experiences and strategic choices in agriculture.

While caste and landholding disparities persist, the federation has enabled women—particularly those from general castes—to engage in value-added activities like dairy farming and leasing land.

Breaking Barriers: Women’s Expanding Roles

The research also highlights how women are stepping into managerial and decision-making roles in agriculture, often facilitated by self-help groups (SHGs) and collectives.

In one coastal region, women leveraged strong social networks and SHGs to bargain for higher wages and access credit, enabling them to lease land and expand production.

Infrastructure projects, such as tank restoration initiatives, have transformed agriculture from rainfed to commercial farming, increasing women’s contributions to both farm and household decision-making. As one woman stated, “We are not just managing farms; we are building futures.”

Despite these strides, women’s participation in the public sphere remains limited. While some SHG leaders were consulted by local governments, few engaged formally in politics.

“Factors such as age, caste, class, marital status, and local context significantly shape how women navigate increased responsibilities and shifting roles in agriculture,” said Dr Padmaja Ravula, Co-Author of the Study and Cluster Leader for Knowledge and Capacity Development & Gender and Youth at ICRISAT. She emphasized the importance of an intersectional approach to understanding women’s experiences.

The study highlights that younger women in joint families often have less autonomy than older women or those in nuclear households. Seasonal migration patterns also influence women’s responsibilities, with some managing farms independently while others collaborate with migrant husbands during critical seasons.

An exception was found in a region with a long history of male migration, where women’s involvement in federations and dairying boosted their confidence to engage with local governance through Panchayat Raj Institutions.

A Call for Structural Change

The study calls for transformative policies that go beyond “pro-women” welfare schemes to ensure women’s rights to access and control productive resources.

Strengthening collective action, providing targeted training, and addressing intersectional inequalities are critical to unlocking women’s full potential, particularly as they transition from laborers to managers in farming.

“The findings highlight the urgent need for transformative policies that support collective action and dismantle patriarchal barriers. Such policies can foster genuine empowerment and sustainable change in agriculture-dependent communities,” said Dr Stanford Blade, Deputy Director General-Research and Innovation, ICRISAT.

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