Elevating & Acknowledging Women's Role in Agripreneurship

International Women's Day (IWD) observed each year on March 8 is the biggest women-focused fundraising day of the year.

- Suchetana Choudhury

The theme for IWD 2025 #AccelerateAction calls for collective action to speed up progress toward gender equality. Collective action and shared ownership for driving gender parity is what makes IWD impactful. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality. India's development journey is closely interlinked with the empowerment of its women. Recognising this critical connection, the central government has placed Nari Shakti at the forefront of its agenda over the past ten years. The government understands that women's empowerment is not a one- time solution; it requires a comprehensive approach that addresses their needs throughout their lives. "We need to focus on the poor, women, youth and farmers," mentioned the Finance Minister in her Budget Speech, reiterating the government's commitment to economic empowerment. A crucial aspect of this vision is increasing women's participation in the workforce, with a target of 70 per cent participation. This emphasis underscores the government's broad approach to fostering economic growth and inclusivity.

India's female workforce participation rate peaked in 2004–05 at 40.8 per cent, although it has subsequently fallen since then. However, following years of decrease, the female labour force participation rate (FLPR) has been trending upward since 2017. Notably, the rural FLPR has shown remarkable growth, rising from 41.5 per cent in 2022–23 to 47.6 per cent in 2023–24. A key driver behind this increase is the rise in self-employed women, especially in the agricultural sector. State-level census data analysis further supports this, highlighting the significance of agriculture in boosting women's labour participation. These trends signify a positive shift in India's workforce landscape and emphasise the importance of supporting women's entrepreneurship, particularly in agriculture.