Eve Power: Economic Survey Shows Rise In Number Of Women Farmers

According to the Economic Survey, tabled in the Parliament on Thursday, the share of “operational holdings cultivated by women” increased to 13.9 per cent in 2015-16 from 11.7 per cent in 2005-06.

Women farmers operated 27.9 per cent of small and marginal landholdings of the total operational holdings cultivated by them.

The survey said that marginal operational landholdings of women (farms less than one hectare) was 14.6 per cent in 2015-16, up from 12.6 per cent in 2005-06.

Small operational landholdings — farms between one hectare and two hectares — of women increased to 13.3 per cent from 11.1 per cent during the review period, while there was nearly a two percentage rise in semi-medium (2-4 hectares), medium (4-10 hectares) and large (over 10 hectares) operational landholdings cultivated by women.

The survey said the number of marginal operational landholdings (below one hectare) increased to 68.5 per cent in 2015-16 from 62.9 per cent in 2000-01 while the share of small landholdings (between one hectare and two hectares) dropped to 17.7 per cent from 18.9 per cent during the same period. There was also a drop in landholdings above four hectares to 4.3 per cent from 6.5 per cent during the period.