Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Act, 2026

 

Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Act, 2026

Giving women farmers the recognition they deserve

The Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Act, 2026 is an important first step towards social change to address deeply entrenched inequalities in access to land, water and other natural resources

The Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Act, 2026

Maharashtra has become the first state to enact a law for the empowerment of women farmers. 

contributions and their work

The Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Act, 2026 is a path-breaking initiative. 

Women across the globe do much of the work across agrifood systems from production to processing, yet their contributions are not recognised. 

They face challenges in access to

 

• credit, 
• insurance,
•  extension services, 
• technology and markets. 

land ownership, usually held by men

Government benefits are often linked to land ownership, usually held by men. 

It is against this backdrop that 2026 is being observed as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, calling for “fairer, more inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems for all.”

movements in maharashtra 

Maharashtra is a state that has long shaped India’s social reform movements with stalwarts like 

• Savitribai Phule, 
• Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, 
• Maharshi Karve, 
• Pandita Ramabai,
•  Lokahitwadi Gopal Hari Deshmukh and 
• Gopal Ganesh Agarkar working tirelessly for women’s rights and gender equality. 

The state has also seen positive interventions in recent times

The 

• Fourth Policy for Women,
•  2024 commits to facilitating gender-inclusive agriculture development,

 including “access to, 

• control over, and ownership of land and other productive assets, 
• 
  
• as well as access to entitlements” and “enhancing the role of women in decision-making and control over agricultural income”.

82 per cent  women farmers 

A large majority (82 per cent) of the rural female workforce in Maharashtra is employed in agriculture as compared to 58 per cent of rural men, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey, 2025. 

(The corresponding all-India figures are 73 per cent and 47 per cent respectively). 

landholdings 

However, less than a fifth of operational landholdings are in the names of women. 

give shape to a law for the empowerment of women farmers

Late last year, the Government of Maharashtra embarked on the groundwork to give shape to a law for the empowerment of women farmers.

 The M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) has been a partner in this effort, together with the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy (Maharashtra).

 consultations

Women farmers engaged in different agricultural and allied activities, civil society organisations and networks, bankers, lawyers, researchers and frontline government officials have all participated in the consultations.

 A special session was organised jointly with the state legislature on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

final shape to the Bill

 Following this, a 

• committee was constituted to draft the Bill, which was presented and discussed at regional consultations.
• 
  
•  The feedback and suggestions received contributed to giving a final shape to the Bill that was presented in the Legislative Assembly after the cabinet’s approval.

The Act adopts a broad definition of “agriculture” and “farmer” 

in line with the National Policy for Farmers (2007), and includes any person who is engaged in 

• crop husbandry, 
• animal husbandry, 
• poultry, 
• fishery, 
• agro-forestry, 
• vermiculture, 
• mushroom cultivation, 
• and primary processing, either as owner or labourer.

Woman Farmer Certificate (WFC)

 

A woman engaged in any of these activities can apply for a Woman Farmer Certificate (WFC) either to the gram sabha or nagar panchayat. 

de-links the requirement of owning land

This certificate will formally recognise the woman as a farmer and effectively de-links the requirement of owning land. 

Going forward, the WFC will give women farmers greater access to entitlements under 

• government schemes, 
• extension services, 
• credit and 
• market opportunities. 

It will help the government design 

• gender-responsive schemes for 
• skill development and 
• provide targeted support for single women farmers.

A digital registry of women farmers backed by a special fund

 a state level empowerment cell and designated officers at district and sub-district levels will facilitate the implementation of the law. 

A state-level monitoring committee 

headed by the chief secretary will facilitate coordination and ensure effective implementation.

 A governing council 

headed by the chief minister will provide guidance and oversee the implementation.

This landmark law is an important first step towards social change to address deeply entrenched inequalities in access to 

• land, 
• water and 
• other natural resources. 

The increasing migration of men 

in search of employment is leaving women to shoulder the responsibility of food and nutrition security in the midst of the growing challenge of climate change and depleting natural resources. 

It is globally observed that women are among the strongest drivers of adaptation to climate change. Proactive policy support will enable them to play this role even better as we work together for inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems.

Once enacted, the law is expected to address the historic systemic non-recognition of women farmers and landless labourers who are involved in allied activities like fisheries, livestock rearing, poultry farming and collection of forest produce

The Bill provides for the creation of a database of women farmers and the creation of Maharashtra State Women Farmers Fund for them. It consists of a three-tier institutional framework comprising of a Women Farmers’ Empowerment Council, State Monitoring Committees and Women Farmers’ Empowerment Cell. The Women Farmers’ Empowerment Council will include as ex-officio members the Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Ministers, Agriculture Minister, among others.

SOURCE IE