11 March 2025 : Indian Express Editorial Analysis

1. A Field of her own

(Source – Indian Express, Section – The Editorial Page – Page No. – 10)

Analysis of the news:

Women’s Role in India’s Agri-Food Systems

• India’s agri-food systems, which include agriculture, livestock, agroforestry, and fisheries, heavily depend on women’s paid and unpaid labor.
• However, institutional constraints limit their productivity by restricting access to resources, scientific knowledge, and decision-making power.
• Gender, along with caste and class hierarchies, determines the division of labor and power, often placing women in labor-intensive, low-paying, and unrecognized roles.
• Most technological advancements in agriculture have been designed to improve men’s efficiency, with mechanization even leading to job losses for women.
• However, when technologies aim to reduce women’s workload, they enhance their productivity.

Bridging the Gender Divide in Agriculture

• Organizations like the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) have worked over the past decade to empower women farmers and fish workers by providing access to technology.
• In Odisha’s Koraput district, MSSRF has been instrumental in reviving small millet cultivation, a process traditionally controlled by men.
• Women, who are usually assigned low-value tasks, benefit when given access to technology and financial resources, improving their productivity and autonomy.

The Gendered Nature of Agricultural Machinery

• Farm machinery, such as tractors, symbolizes masculine power, reinforcing gender inequality in agriculture.
• Men primarily control farm mechanization, while women’s labor remains physically demanding and time-consuming.
• Tasks like weeding, threshing, and de-hulling are assigned to women, but targeted interventions—such as training women in technology use—are helping them challenge traditional gender roles and gain control over agricultural processes.

Challenges Faced by Women in Fisheries

• Women in the fisheries sector have faced significant challenges due to the shift toward large mechanized vessels and centralized harbors.
• As men gained access to higher-earning opportunities in deep-sea fishing, women were left with lower-paying, labor-intensive activities like processing, drying, and vending.
• The rise of large buyers and exporters further marginalized women vendors, limiting their access to fish and market opportunities.
• Street vendors, who often earn less than Rs 800 per day, struggle with high commuting costs and debts, worsened by a lack of access to market information.

Digital Technologies Empowering Women Fish Workers

• MSSRF has introduced digital technologies to empower low-income women in coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, providing access to mobile phones, tablets, helplines, and online business tools.
• Women have been trained in internet use, digital payments, inventory management, and market navigation, significantly improving their economic resilience.
• These interventions help women overcome structural challenges and adapt to broader economic and ecological changes.

The Need for Gender-Responsive Technologies

• While gender-responsive technologies help women overcome systemic barriers and increase their autonomy, patriarchal structures remain deeply ingrained.
• For technology to have a lasting impact, investments must be supported by policies that hold families, communities, markets, and the state accountable for creating an enabling environment for women.

Conclusion

• Empowering women in India’s agri-food and fisheries sectors through gender-responsive technologies is crucial for enhancing their productivity and decision-making power.
• However, true progress requires not just technological interventions but also systemic changes that challenge entrenched patriarchal norms and ensure equitable access to resources, knowledge, and opportunities.

Check this out 10 March 2025 : Indian Express Editorial Analysis