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PRESIDENT OF INDIA GRACES INAUGURAL SESSION OF THE GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN AGRI-FOOD SYSTEMS

March 12, 2026 4 min read Agriculture & Food Security Social Issues GS Paper 2 GS Paper 3
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What Happened

  • President Droupadi Murmu graced and addressed the inaugural session of the Global Conference on the Role of Women in Agri-Food Systems (GCWAS-2026) in New Delhi on March 12, 2026.
  • The three-day conference brought together delegates from multiple countries, international organisations, NGOs, and subject matter experts to discuss strategies for improving women's leadership in agriculture and food security.
  • In her address, President Murmu emphasised: women's disproportionate labour contribution relative to their ownership and decision-making power; the need for land rights, access to finance, and recognition for women farmers; and the importance of publishing success case studies to inspire replication across regions.
  • The President referenced the UN's declaration of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer as a framework for global cooperation.
  • She called for concerted action from governments, international institutions, and civil society to close the structural gaps that prevent women from taking leadership roles in agriculture.

Static Topic Bridges

India's Food Security Architecture and the Role of Women

India's food security system operates through a complex web of production, procurement, storage, and distribution — women play roles at multiple nodes, yet are systematically absent from governance.

  • National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013: Covers approximately 67% of India's population for subsidised food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS); requires States to identify beneficiaries using criteria that include rural poor women as priority.
  • The NFSA makes the eldest woman in the household the head of household for ration card purposes — a statutory recognition of women's central role in food access.
  • Food Corporation of India (FCI): Handles central procurement, storage, and distribution; no specific gender representation mandate in governance.
  • The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) have gender provisions, but women's operational access remains limited.
  • Self-Help Groups (SHGs): The primary institutional mechanism through which women access agricultural credit; over 12 crore women are members of SHGs linked to banks under DAY-NRLM, representing the largest financial inclusion programme for rural women globally.

Connection to this news: GCWAS-2026 directly addresses the gap between women's roles at the grassroots (SHGs, farm labour) and their absence from higher-level food systems governance — the conference's recommendations are intended to inform national and global policy responses.

India's International Agricultural Diplomacy and Multilateral Forums

India participates in several multilateral frameworks related to agriculture, food security, and rural development where women's issues in agriculture are increasingly prominent.

  • Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): India is a founding member; FAO's annual State of Food and Agriculture reports consistently highlight women's unequal access to resources.
  • International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): India is a major borrower; IFAD specifically focuses on rural women's empowerment through gender-responsive projects.
  • G20 Agriculture Ministers' Meeting: India's G20 Presidency (2023) included discussions on women in agriculture; the GCWAS-2026 builds on these dialogues.
  • India's South-South Cooperation initiatives in agriculture frequently involve knowledge sharing with African and Southeast Asian countries on women-led farming models.
  • Codex Alimentarius Commission (FAO-WHO joint body): Sets international food standards; India is a member — food safety standards impact women food processors disproportionately.

Connection to this news: GCWAS-2026's global convening role positions India as an advocate for women in agriculture within multilateral forums; the President's address reinforces India's diplomatic messaging on gender equity in food systems.

Constitutional and Policy Framework for Gender Equity in India

The constitutional foundation for gender equity in India spans multiple provisions, and is supplemented by policy frameworks targeting women in the rural and agricultural economy.

  • Article 14: Right to equality before the law — prohibits discriminatory treatment of women in accessing government schemes, credit, and markets.
  • Article 15(3): Permits the State to make special provisions for women and children — the constitutional basis for women-specific agricultural schemes.
  • Article 39(a): Directive Principle — the State shall secure citizens' right to adequate means of livelihood, including for women.
  • Article 39(d): Equal pay for equal work for men and women — a DPSP that has been used to argue for wage parity for women agricultural labourers.
  • 73rd Constitutional Amendment (1992): Mandated one-third reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) — Article 243D; many states have voluntarily extended this to 50%. PRIs are the primary governance body for rural agriculture at village level.

Connection to this news: President Murmu's call for women's leadership in agriculture connects directly to the constitutional framework — Articles 15(3) and the 73rd Amendment's PRI reservation have created legal scaffolding, but cultural and economic barriers limit its translation into actual agricultural decision-making power.

Key Facts & Data

  • GCWAS-2026: Global Conference on the Role of Women in Agri-Food Systems, New Delhi, March 12–14, 2026
  • UN International Year of the Woman Farmer: 2026
  • National Food Security Act, 2013: Eldest woman in household as head of household for ration card purposes
  • DAY-NRLM SHGs: Over 12 crore women members linked to banks — world's largest women's financial inclusion programme
  • 73rd Constitutional Amendment (1992): One-third reservation for women in PRIs (Article 243D)
  • Article 15(3): Constitutional basis for special provisions for women
  • Article 39(d): DPSP — equal pay for equal work for men and women
  • FAO: Women with equal resource access could increase farm yields by 20–30%
  • SDG 2: Zero Hunger; SDG 5: Gender Equality — both directly relevant to women in agriculture
  • Women's share of agricultural workforce: ~73%; landholding: ~14%
  • PM-KISAN: ₹6,000/year income support to eligible farmer households