Legal Recognition of Women Farmers in Maharashtra

Context

The Government of Maharashtra recently made a historic policy decision by granting distinct legal recognition to the women farmers in the state.

Context and Core Objective

• The Problem: Typically, the term farmer has been linked to land ownership. Less than 15% of the agricultural land in the country is owned by women and millions of agricultural labourers are treated as cultivators or agricultural labourers.
• The Solution: The status of a “farmer” is not linked to land ownership by the state policy.
• Core objective: To establish women’s right to utilize institutional credit, government subsidies, insurance benefits, farm extension services and to recognize their contribution to agriculture formally.

Key Provisions of the Policy

1. Gender-Neutral Definition of ‘Farmer’

• The policy widens the definition of a farmer to anybody who is actively involved in cultivation, even if they don’t own land.
• It clearly includes those who participate in allied activities like livestock keeping, dairy, poultry and fisheries, which are predominantly women.

2. Emphasis on ‘Women Farmer Certificates’ of issuance

• The government will issue dedicated identification cards or certificates to eligible women.
• These certificates will be accepted as legal identity documents for applications to state sponsored agricultural schemes.

3. Priority for Resource Allocations

• The Supply of subsidized seeds, fertilizers and farm machinery will be made to certified women farmers.
• A certain proportion of the existing state schemes will be dedicated to women headed farm operations.

Significance for Indian Agriculture

1. Economic Empowerment and Financial Inclusion

• Credit Access: Without land as collateral, women previously relied on informal moneylenders. There is legal support for granting micro-loans and micro-loans under Kisan Credit Card based on ‘cultivation status.’
• Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): Subsidies and state benefits as per PM-KISAN model can now be made available in the bank account of the women farmers.

2. Improved Productivity and food security.

• According to the FAO, if women have the same access to agricultural resources, the production of farms could grow by 20-30%.
• Increased empowerment of women farmers directly boosts nutrition and educational expenditure of the household.

3. Policy Alignment

• This action is aligned with long pending recommendations of the National Commission on Farmers (Swaminathan Committee) and addresses Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality).

Challenges in Implementation

• Identification Bottlenecks: Finding a clear process to affirm the actual women farmers without the use of land records is difficult.
• Patriarchal Mindsets: Deep-rooted social norms may result in male relatives controlling the finances despite the certificates being in the woman’s name.
• Digital Literacy Gap: For rural women, accessing online registration portals and digital DBT systems is still a challenge.

Way Forward

• Inter Departmental Synergy: There has to be seamless coordination between the Revenue, Agriculture and Rural Development departments for smooth registration.
• Awareness Campaigns: Gram Panchayats should be used to organise awareness campaigns at the local level, educating the rural women about their new legal rights.
• Credit Reforms: The Reserve Bank of India and NABARD needs to give specific guidelines to the scheduled commercial and regional rural banks to accept such certificates as collateral for crop loans without any hassles. 

Source: The Indian Express

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q. Despite playing a crucial role in Indian agriculture, women remain largely invisible in terms of legal recognition and institutional support. Discuss the significance of legally recognizing women as farmers. In this context, examine the potential of Maharashtra’s initiative to promote gender equality and inclusive agricultural development.

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