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ICAR to host 3-day global conference on women in agri-food system from Thursday

March 11, 2026 4 min read Economics Social Issues GS Paper 1 (Women Empowerment) GS Paper 3 (Agriculture Food Security)
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What Happened

  • The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), in collaboration with CGIAR, TAAS, and PPV&FRA, hosted the Global Conference on Women in Agri-Food Systems (GCWAS-2026) from March 12–14, 2026 at the NASC Complex, Pusa Campus, New Delhi.
  • The conference was inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu.
  • Over 700 participants from 18 countries attended, including scientists, policymakers, women farmers, entrepreneurs, and students.
  • The conference concluded with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration, which calls for establishing a Global Alliance on Women in Agri-Food Systems.
  • The conference was aligned with the United Nations' designation of 2026 as the International Year for Women Farmers.
  • ICAR announced plans to build a national gender platform connecting over 900 institutions to strengthen women's role in agriculture.

Static Topic Bridges

Women in Agriculture: Data, Challenges, and Policy Framework

Women constitute approximately 60–80% of agricultural labour in developing countries, including India, yet they are often invisible in formal agricultural statistics and policy frameworks. Gender disparities in access to land, credit, technology, and market information systematically undercut agricultural productivity.

  • In India, women account for about 75% of the agricultural labour force (as per NABARD estimates), yet less than 13% of landholdings are in women's names (Agriculture Census data).
  • Women farmers face a "triple burden" — agricultural work, household responsibilities, and care work — limiting access to training and extension services.
  • The Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP), under the MGNREGS framework, supports women farmers through training in sustainable agriculture.
  • FAO estimates that if women farmers had the same access to resources as men, agricultural output in developing countries could increase by 20–30%, reducing hunger by 12–17%.

Connection to this news: GCWAS-2026 directly addresses these systemic gaps through the Delhi Declaration's emphasis on gender-responsive policies, data disaggregation, and establishing a global institutional mechanism.

ICAR and Agricultural Research Governance

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is an apex body under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, established in 1929. It coordinates, guides, and manages research and education in agriculture, agroforestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, and allied sciences across India.

  • ICAR operates 113 research institutes, 71 All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRPs), and 6 deemed universities, forming the largest network of agricultural research in the world.
  • CGIAR (formerly the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) is a global partnership of 15 international agricultural research centres, working on food security and climate resilience.
  • PPV&FRA (Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority) protects the rights of plant breeders and farmers — relevant to women's traditional biodiversity stewardship.
  • TAAS (Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences) is a not-for-profit promoting agricultural innovation and policy.

Connection to this news: ICAR's hosting and institutional commitment (national gender platform across 900 institutions) signals a structural shift in India's agricultural research agenda toward gender mainstreaming.

International Year for Women Farmers and UN Frameworks

The United Nations General Assembly designated 2026 as the International Year for Women Farmers to "recognise women's crucial role in ensuring food security, eradicating poverty, and achieving sustainable development." This builds on the SDG framework, particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

  • SDG 5 (Gender Equality) specifically calls for ending discrimination against women in land ownership, financial services, and economic participation.
  • The Beijing Platform for Action (1995) and CEDAW (Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) provide the foundational international legal framework.
  • Gender-responsive budgeting — allocating resources specifically for women's development — is a key tool endorsed by the Delhi Declaration.
  • The Delhi Declaration calls for gender-disaggregated data collection and periodic gender audits of agri-food institutions.

Connection to this news: GCWAS-2026 operationalises the 2026 International Year theme by producing concrete outcomes (Delhi Declaration, Global Alliance proposal, national gender platform) — moving from aspiration to institutional action.

Key Facts & Data

  • Conference: GCWAS-2026 (Global Conference on Women in Agri-Food Systems), March 12–14, 2026
  • Venue: NASC Complex, Pusa Campus, New Delhi; inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu
  • Organisers: ICAR, CGIAR, TAAS, PPV&FRA
  • Participants: 700+ from 18 countries
  • Nine technical sessions; concluded with the Delhi Declaration
  • Delhi Declaration: Calls for Global Alliance on Women in Agri-Food Systems
  • ICAR to establish national gender platform across 900+ institutions
  • Aligned with UN International Year for Women Farmers 2026 and SDG 2 & 5
  • Women account for ~75% of India's agricultural labour force; under 13% own land