Govt creating sustainable livelihoods for rural women farmers via schemes

NEW DELHI, 12 August 2021: The guidelines of the various beneficiary-oriented schemes of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA &FW), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare provides that States and other Implementing Agencies to incur at least 30% expenditure on women farmers.

The schemes include Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms, National Food Security Mission, National Mission on Oilseed & Oil Palm, National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture, Sub-Mission for Seed and Planting Material, Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture.

The Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development launched a scheme namely ‘Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP)’, as a sub-component of DAY-NRLM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana — National Rural Livelihoods Mission).

The scheme is being implemented since 2011 with the objective to empower women by making systematic investments to enhance their participation and productivity, as also create sustainable livelihoods for rural women. The program is implemented in project mode through State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLM) as Project Implementing Agencies.

In order to familiarize women with the latest techniques in agriculture and allied sectors, training are being imparted to women farmers under schemes of DA&FW and DAY-NRLM. These include Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms (ATMA) under Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE).

Skill training courses in agriculture and allied areas (of minimum 200 hours duration) are also being conducted for farmers including women farmers through National Training Institutes, State Agricultural Management & Extension Training (SAMETIs), Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), and State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), across the country.

Under DAY-NRLM, training on agroecological practices is being provided through community resource persons. KVKs established by Indian Council Agricultural Research (ICAR) impart training to farmers including women farmers on various aspects of agriculture and allied sectors.

The government is taking various measures to increase the participation of women farmers in the agriculture sector. This includes providing additional support and assistance to women farmers, over and above the male farmers under few schemes; provision of  30% of funds for women under various beneficiary oriented schemes/programmes; taking pro-women initiatives such as supporting farm women’s food security groups, undertaking macro/micro-level studies in critical thrust area related to women in agriculture, delivery of Gender Sensitization Module on Gender Learning through training programmes at National/Region/State Level, compilation and documentation of gender-friendly tools/technologies; Farm Women Friendly Handbook and compilation of best practices/success stories of the women farmers, etc.

State/UT wise fund released under ‘Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP)’ of Ministry of Rural Development during last three years:

(Rs. in crores)