What Happened
- India hosted the three-day Global Conference on Women in Agri-Food Systems (GCWAS–2026) from March 12–14, 2026, at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Hall, ICAR Convention Centre, NASC, New Delhi.
- The conference was inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu, with Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as Guest of Honour; the valedictory session was chaired by Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi.
- The event brought together over 700 delegates — scientists, policymakers, agricultural experts, entrepreneurs, start-up innovators, development professionals, students, and women farmers — from India and abroad.
- Joint organizers included TAAS (Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences), ICAR, CGIAR, and PPV&FRA.
- President Murmu called for greater participation of women in agricultural policy and leadership, highlighting the persistent gender gap in access to land, credit, and technology.
Static Topic Bridges
Women in Agriculture — Scale and Policy Context
According to FAO data, women comprise on average 43 percent of the agricultural labour force in developing countries, yet consistently face inequalities in access to land, inputs, credit, and markets. Closing this gender gap could raise farm yields by 20–30 percent and reduce the number of hungry people globally by 100–150 million.
- Women make up nearly 80 percent of marginal and small farmers in India, yet own less than 13 percent of agricultural land.
- India's farm sector is seeing increasing feminization — more women are managing farm operations as men migrate to urban areas for work.
- Despite high participation, women are largely excluded from institutional credit, extension services, and ownership records.
Connection to this news: GCWAS–2026 directly addresses this gap by convening global expertise to design inclusive agri-food systems; India's hosting signals its commitment to positioning women as productive agents rather than mere labour.
Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP)
MKSP is a sub-scheme of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), launched in 2011, to make targeted investments that enhance the participation and productivity of women farmers. It operates through State Rural Livelihoods Missions and Self Help Group (SHG) networks, focusing on sustainable agriculture, local knowledge-based technologies, and market access.
- Priority target groups: SC/ST women, landless, primitive tribal groups, and women-headed households.
- Works through SHG federations, NGOs, and farmer collectives — not direct government delivery.
- Promotes resource-conserving, farmer-led, environment-friendly technologies (e.g., System of Rice Intensification, zero-budget natural farming).
- Part of the broader DAY-NRLM, which has mobilized over 90 million rural women into SHGs.
Connection to this news: MKSP is India's flagship domestic instrument for women's agricultural empowerment — GCWAS–2026 provides a global platform to share learnings from MKSP and similar programmes and translate them into multilateral commitments.
SHG-Bank Linkage Programme
The SHG-Bank Linkage Programme, launched by NABARD in 1992, is the world's largest microfinance programme. It connects women's Self Help Groups directly to formal banking institutions, enabling access to savings accounts, credit, and insurance without collateral.
- Over 1.2 crore SHGs are linked to banks across India, mobilizing savings worth over ₹50,000 crore.
- Empowers women to invest in farm inputs, buy land, and build resilience against crop failures.
- NABARD provides refinance support and capacity-building grants to SHGs.
Connection to this news: Financial inclusion through SHG-bank linkage is integral to converting women's agricultural participation into productive ownership — a theme central to GCWAS–2026's deliberations.
Key Facts & Data
- GCWAS–2026: 3 days (March 12–14, 2026), New Delhi; organized by TAAS, ICAR, CGIAR, PPV&FRA.
- Women form 43% of agricultural labour force in developing countries (FAO).
- MKSP: Sub-scheme of DAY-NRLM, operational since 2011, targets SC/ST and landless women farmers.
- Closing the gender gap in agriculture could reduce global hunger by 100–150 million (FAO estimate).
- India has over 90 million women organized into Self Help Groups under DAY-NRLM.