77.76 Per Cent of Jammu Kashmir Women Workforce Engaged in Agriculture, Among India’s Highest | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Nearly 77.76 per cent of the female workforce in Jammu and Kashmir is engaged in agriculture and allied activities, placing the Union Territory among the states and regions with the highest participation of women in the farm sector in the country, according to data presented in the Rajya Sabha by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

The figures, based on the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023–24, also show that 67,902 women farmers in Jammu and Kashmir accessed agricultural credit under the Kisan Credit Card–Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (KCC-MISS) in 2024–25, reflecting the continuing role of women in the region’s rural economy.

At the national level, the average share of women working in agriculture and allied sectors stands at 64.36 per cent, which means the participation rate in Jammu and Kashmir is significantly higher than the national average. Only a few states report comparable or higher levels of female participation in farming.

For instance, Bihar recorded the highest share at 82.06 per cent, followed closely by Uttar Pradesh at 81.83 per cent, while Himachal Pradesh reported 78.45 per cent and Chhattisgarh 77.04 per cent. Jammu and Kashmir’s 77.76 per cent participation places it within the top tier of states where agriculture remains heavily dependent on women workers.

Other major agricultural states reported relatively lower participation rates among women. Madhya Pradesh recorded 76.77 per cent, Jharkhand 76.57 per cent, and Rajasthan 74.25 per cent, while Odisha reported 69.50 per cent and Uttarakhand 67.98 per cent. In contrast, several economically advanced states have significantly lower participation rates. Punjab reported 33.97 per cent, Kerala 36.38 per cent, and Tamil Nadu 38.63 per cent, indicating greater mechanisation and alternative employment opportunities outside agriculture.

The data also show wide regional disparities in agricultural employment among women. In urbanised regions such as Delhi, women’s participation in agriculture was almost negligible at 0.02 per cent, while Goa reported 12.27 per cent and Puducherry 13.31 per cent.

Credit access data under the Kisan Credit Card–Modified Interest Subvention Scheme further highlights the scale of women’s involvement in farming activities. In Jammu and Kashmir, the number of women farmers accessing institutional agricultural credit rose from 65,334 in 2022–23 to 70,345 in 2023–24, before slightly declining to 67,902 in 2024–25 (provisional).

Across India, millions of women farmers are accessing agricultural credit through the scheme. States with the highest number of women beneficiaries include Tamil Nadu (12,39,534), Telangana (13,08,249), Karnataka (10,52,362) and Kerala (10,91,722) during 2024–25. In comparison, the numbers remain smaller in hill and smaller states, though participation rates may still be high.

The Union government informed Parliament that multiple schemes are being implemented to increase women’s paid participation in agriculture and to strengthen their role as farmers and agri-entrepreneurs. These include training programmes under the Krishi Vigyan Kendra network, technology dissemination through the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) scheme, and financial support through the Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing.

Women farmers and women-led Self Help Groups also receive higher subsidy support of 33.33 per cent under the Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure component of the scheme, compared with 25 per cent for other beneficiaries. In addition, the programme for Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) encourages inclusion of women farmers and women Self Help Groups to improve their access to markets and value chains.

The government also provides enhanced financial assistance for women under the Agri-Clinic and Agri-Business Centres scheme, where women beneficiaries are eligible for 44 per cent subsidy on project costs, higher than the 36 per cent subsidy available to general category applicants.

Officials said the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihood Mission is also promoting women farmers, referred to as Mahila Kisan, through training in agro-ecological farming practices, livestock management and scientific cultivation methods.

According to the government, these initiatives are aimed at strengthening women’s role in agriculture by improving their access to training, credit and markets while encouraging the formation of farmer collectives and entrepreneurship in rural areas.