Her Harvest 2026: Arya.ag Report on Women Farmers’ Gaps
Why in the news
Grain commerce platform Arya.ag published a study arguing that women’s farm work goes largely unrecognised, holding agriculture back. 2026 is the UN International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Key figures
| Theme | Figure |
|---|---|
| Pay difference for similar work | 20-30% lower |
| Annual output loss | ₹1.2-2 lakh crore, or 2.5-4% of the ₹48.7 lakh crore farm economy |
| Working women employed in agriculture | 64.4% now, 57% in 2017-18 |
| Rural working women in agriculture | 76.9% |
| Unpaid helpers | 50.5% of women farm workers versus 21.7% of men |
Core idea
- Land title decides who counts as a farmer, and that decides access to credit, extension and procurement.
- Without recognition: no formal credit, then distress sale at harvest, low income and no assets.
- Women farm with fewer resources, so the problem is administrative, not agricultural.
Recommendations
- Recognise women as farmers regardless of land ownership; publish gender-wise data.
- Offer collateral-light credit, warehouse receipts and women-held Kisan Credit Cards.
- Route drones and advisory services via women-run institutions; make women-led FPOs permanent.
Exam angle
- Publisher: Arya.ag.
- Framework: resources, recognition, returns.
- Equal resources could lift yields 20-30 per cent.