Maharashtra Enacts Landmark Women Farmers Empowerment Act: A Model for Gender-Inclusive Agriculture
Contents4
Indian Express - Opinion · 16 Jul 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Social issues Mains · GS2 Governance High relevance
Maharashtra has become the first state to pass the Women Farmers Empowerment Act, 2026, recognizing women's agricultural labor without land ownership requirements, addressing systemic gender disparities in agriculture.
Key points
Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Act, 2026 is the first state law to formally recognize women engaged in agriculture and allied activities as farmers, irrespective of land ownership.
Woman Farmer Certificate (WFC) can be obtained by women engaged in crop/animal husbandry, fisheries, or agro-processing through gram sabhas/nagar panchayats, enabling access to government schemes and credit.
[GS1-Society] The Act addresses the paradox where 82% of rural women in Maharashtra work in agriculture (vs. 58% men), yet less than 20% of landholdings are in women's names, per PLFS 2025.
Fourth Policy for Women, 2024 laid the groundwork by advocating gender-inclusive agriculture, including land ownership and decision-making control for women.
[GS3-Economy] The Act aligns with National Policy for Farmers (2007), expanding 'farmer' definition to include laborers and primary processors, crucial for India's feminization of agriculture trend.
Implementation framework includes a digital registry, state empowerment cell, district-level officers, and monitoring by a CM-headed council, ensuring institutional accountability.
Connects to GS2-Governance on participatory lawmaking: MSSRF and Vidhi Centre collaborated with women farmers, bankers, and officials in drafting through regional consultations.
International Year of the Woman Farmer (2026) context highlights global recognition of women's role in climate-resilient food systems, with Maharashtra leading policy innovation.
Way Forward: Expand WFC nationwide with standardized digital verification, integrate gender budgeting in agricultural schemes, and amend inheritance laws to strengthen women's land rights.
Key terms
- Fourth Policy for Women (Maharashtra, 2024)
- A progressive state policy committing to gender-inclusive development, particularly in agriculture. For UPSC, it exemplifies federal policymaking aligning with SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).
- Feminization of Agriculture
- The increasing participation of women in agricultural labor due to male migration, now constituting 73% of India's rural female workforce (PLFS 2025). For UPSC, this highlights gendered access gaps to land (13% female ownership) and credit (only 10% women beneficiaries in KCC schemes), requiring policy interventions like the Maharashtra Act.
- National Policy for Farmers (2007)
- A comprehensive framework emphasizing livelihood security, defining farmers to include landless laborers and sharecroppers. Relevant for UPSC as it guides state policies on inclusive agriculture, now operationalized by Maharashtra's gender-specific law.
- Woman Farmer Certificate (WFC)
- A statutory recognition tool under the Maharashtra Act that decouples farmer status from land ownership. UPSC relevance lies in its potential to transform access to PM-KISAN, KCC, and MSP benefits for 100 million women agricultural workers.
Practice question
Discuss the significance of the Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Act, 2026 in addressing gender disparities in agriculture. What measures can other states adopt to replicate its success? (250 words, 15 marks)
GS2 15 marks 250 words Mains
Key terms to include: Woman Farmer Certificate (WFC) National Policy for Farmers (2007) Fourth Policy for Women (2024) Feminization of Agriculture Gender Budgeting Participatory Governance Digital Registry Inheritance Laws
Answer framework
Introduction
Briefly introduce the Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Act, 2026 as a pioneering legislation recognizing women's role in agriculture irrespective of land ownership, addressing systemic gender disparities.
Addressing Gender Disparities
Recognizes women engaged in agriculture as farmers without land ownership requirements, addressing the paradox where 82% of rural women work in agriculture but own less than 20% of landholdings.
Provides Woman Farmer Certificate (WFC) enabling access to government schemes, credit, and benefits like PM-KISAN and KCC, bridging the gap in access to resources.
Aligns with National Policy for Farmers (2007) and Fourth Policy for Women, 2024, emphasizing gender-inclusive agriculture and decision-making control for women.
Implementation Framework
Digital registry and state empowerment cell ensure institutional accountability and efficient implementation.
District-level officers and CM-headed council for monitoring, ensuring participatory governance and transparency.
Collaborative drafting with MSSRF, Vidhi Centre, and women farmers through regional consultations, exemplifying inclusive lawmaking.
Measures for Replication
Expand WFC nationwide with standardized digital verification to ensure uniformity and ease of access.
Integrate gender budgeting in agricultural schemes to allocate resources specifically for women farmers.
Amend inheritance laws to strengthen women's land rights, complementing the Act's provisions for long-term empowerment.
Conclusion
The Maharashtra Act sets a benchmark for gender-inclusive agriculture policies. Other states should adopt similar measures, supported by central guidelines, to ensure nationwide empowerment of women farmers and sustainable agricultural growth.
Fact check
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