Female farmers have been working silently in the field of agriculture even while being housewives. When society talks about the contribution of farmers, they will mostly imagine the picture of a man with a plough and his contribution. But it should not be forgotten that women have involvement in every task, from taking care of seeds to harvesting. They provide labour to grow and harvest the crops directly and indirectly. So, if a male farmer is contributing to the country’s food security, a female in his household is also doing so. But they are not recognised as ‘farmers’. It may sound a bit odd now; that is why it is important to recognise these females as ‘farmers’.

Well, agriculture is not just crop production but a coordinated work effort where the participation of the female farmer is wide and extensive. Direct participation of women exists in almost 17 out of the 21 work steps of agriculture. If agricultural work is considered the canvas of a coordinated work effort, then the greater part of that canvas is decorated by the skilful hands of women. They make the complex processes of agriculture easier with their labour. For example, they complete delicate tasks of seed selection, treatment, and germination testing. After that comes arduous physical labour like sapling planting and weeding for weed control, and after harvesting, ensuring the quality and longevity of the grain through threshing, winnowing, boiling and drying. Furthermore, many housewives cultivate vegetables, fruits and herbal plants in the courtyards of their houses to create a source of nutrition for their families and livelihoods. There is also the tireless effort of women in taking care of livestock and poultry. The work of women in farmers’ houses is usually thought of as "household work", which conceals their contribution.

Agricultural work is identified as 'men's work'. But the work women do in agriculture is considered as 'household work' instead of 'agricultural work', which is inconsistent. The ownership or control of land or agricultural inputs is mostly in the hands of men (for example, only 19% of the country's land ownership is in the hands of women). As a result, female farmers are deprived of credit or government agricultural assistance. Often it is seen that for the same or more labour, female workers receive lower wages than men.

Take the example of a situation in which a village woman works all day planting saplings and weeding in the field. But when agricultural credit or incentive is given, only her husband is considered the 'farmer'. Or, despite her tireless effort in crop production, when money comes from selling the crop in the market, the control of that money remains in the hands of the man. As a result, women cannot make any decisions based on their own labour.

To bring the contribution of the female farmer into the mainstream, structural reform is indispensable. Firstly, policies must be formulated to formally recognise female farmers as 'farmers' and directly include them in farmer cards, credit and incentives. In addition, women’s legal control over land ownership and agricultural inputs must be ensured. It is essential to create opportunities for ownership in single or joint names instead of joint ownership. Special training programmes must be arranged to ensure equal and easy access for female farmers to modern agricultural technology, knowledge of climate-resilient crops and market information. Finally, strict law enforcement and social awareness must be increased to ensure equal pay for equal work in the agricultural sector.

This steadfast struggle and silent revolution of the female farmer is a source of strength for our national economy. So, their labour should be properly recognised. Let us build a society where the drop of sweat of the female farmer is able to earn dignity, and their constant effort makes our agriculture more vibrant.