Food, forests, water, and livelihoods were once woven together. The story of how three clusters in Maharashtra are restoring that connection, carries lessons far beyond the Western Ghats.

When a Connected System Begins to Fall Apart

For generations, farming families in Akole lived in rhythm with the forests, slopes, and seasonal rains of the Western Ghats.

Fields were small but diverse. Millets, pulses, oilseeds, dozens of rice varieties, and fruit trees shaped what was grown and what was eaten. Forests offered wild foods, fodder, and medicine. Communities held knowledge of seeds, soils, seasons, and wild plants refined over centuries.

Over time, economic pressures and climate stress shifted the balance. Paddy replaced diversity. Forests thinned. Soils eroded on the steep slopes. Once the cropping season ended, 42% of households sought casual labour opportunities, and 28% moved to nearby towns for daily wages. Soil, water, biodiversity, energy, and nutrition, once held together as a system, had gradually come apart.

The story unfolds across three clusters in Maharashtra, each with its own character: Akole’s hilly agroforestry terrain, Igatpuri’s forest-fringe farming systems, and Shahada’s tribal, water-stressed landscapes. Together, they reflect challenges that smallholder communities face across the world, which is what makes this work significant beyond the Western Ghats.

What the landscape held

Beneath the visible strain, three things remained intact: deep indigenous knowledge held by women and elders, strong community institutions, and remarkable biological richness in seeds, soils, and forests. These became the foundation the recovery was built on.

Science and communities, working at the scale of a landscape

The CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes (MFL) Programme is built on the principle that agriculture, biodiversity, water, livelihoods, and climate resilience are most effectively addressed together, across an entire landscape, rather than sector by sector. In Maharashtra, this programme builds on the earlier Nature-Positive Solutions (NPS) initiative operated from 2022 to 2024, integrating it with the learnings from Agroecology Initiative.

The three Maharashtra clusters were chosen thoughtfully, each representing a distinct agroecological reality, together forming a living laboratory for integrated, nature-positive approaches that can inform practice well beyond this region.

The partnership runs deep, from global research centres to village institutions. CGIAR centres, including the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), anchor the global research framework. National institutions including ICAR-NIASM, MPKV, and NBPGR bring domain expertise. State agencies, civil society organisations, and communities themselves shape what that science looks like on the ground.

Where Research Meets the Field: BAIF’s Role in the Programme

Founded in 1967, BAIF Development Research Foundation has built its work on a single, enduring idea: that sustainable livelihoods grow from communities, rooted in the land and knowledge they already possess. Today, BAIF reaches 4 million families in more than 100,000 villages of 18 states, with a multidisciplinary team of more than 7500 people.

In the MFL programme, BAIF functions as the key implementation partner, co-creating interventions with communities, generating field-based evidence, and connecting indigenous knowledge with scientific tools. BAIF’s approach is participatory at every stage: communities co-design what is tested on their land, evaluate what works on their own terms, and own what continues. Farmers are researchers. Women are conservationists. Elders are the knowledge archive.

Three threads, one landscape

The work spans three interconnected areas: agrobiodiversity, landscape restoration, and circular bioeconomy, each reinforcing the other.

Agrobiodiversity

Three community seed banks now conserve 125 indigenous crop landraces and 288 local cultivars across 1,550 farming households, held as living repositories of centuries of farmer selection. Through participatory varietal selection, 377 farmers evaluated 138 traditional varieties across 500 plots, ranking them by yield, climate resilience, fodder value, and taste. Eleven wild food and biodiversity festivals brought together 650 participants, reviving knowledge of more than 150 wild food crops and recipes that had faded from daily practice. Seeds of nutrient-rich vegetables reached 50 women-led self-help groups, bringing dietary diversity closer.

Landscape Restoration

Micro-watersheds became the entry point. In two pilot watersheds in Akole, covering 200 hectares, soil and water conservation planning was co-designed with farmers and research partners. Within a year of intervention, the pilot watersheds recorded an 18% reduction in soil loss, a 21% decline in carbon loss, and improved water infiltration even under higher rainfall. Farm ponds extended water availability through dry months. On community lands in Shahada, 18,200 saplings and 6,000 seeds were planted across 19 hectares through convergence. Agroforestry systems combining fruit trees, fodder grasses, and bamboo stabilised slopes and reduced pressure on forests. Twenty-four farming families introduced bee hives, flower strips, and nectar-rich crops, rebuilding pollinator habitats and natural pest control, restoring local ecosystem services.

Circular Bioeconomy

Firewood dependence had long connected energy, forest pressure, and women’s drudgery in a single knot. Household biogas units now provide clean cooking energy equivalent to 12 LPG cylinders or 2.6 tonnes of firewood per year, while producing organic manure for fields. A school-level unit at an Adivasi residential school in Akole converts 30 kg of food waste daily into cooking fuel. In Shahada, a community biochar unit managed by a Farmer Producer Company converts cotton stalk residues into soil-enhancing inputs and biochar-based value-added products, with 32 farmers trained in production, value addition and enterprise management. The Circular Bioeconomy Innovation Hub platform, inaugurated in 2023 with its physical secretariat at BAIF’s Central Research Station, brings together partners to scale circular bio economy-based innovations and builds enterprise skills among women and youth. The Circular Bio Economy Innovation Challenge organised for startups, provided a platform for innovators to present their ideas and upscale their innovations to business models.

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Innovation challenges conducted
475+
people trained
10+
Innovation Hub partners

When Everything Connects: Farms, Forests and Families Rebuild Together

Mandabai, Akole cluster

Smallholder farmer: 7.5 acres

When farm pond development and solar irrigation improved water availability on her land, Mandabai moved beyond a single cropping season for the first time. Vegetables joined the staple crops. Then followed strawberries, which she independently expanded the following season, because the economics worked. A household biogas unit replaced firewood collection. The organic slurry feeds her fields. The kitchen is cleaner. The workload has shifted. Her farm now offers work through the year, and the family stayed together. Mandabai’s is one of many stories across the clusters where water, nutrition, energy, and markets have come together in a single family’s life, each intervention reinforcing the next.

Across the clusters, the gains are visible across every dimension the programme set out to strengthen. Fields are more diverse, with farmer-to-farmer seed exchange active again at the grassroots level. Diets are richer, as wild foods return to kitchen tables and kitchen gardens supply vegetables through lean seasons. Households that once spent hours collecting firewood now cook on clean energy, with the slurry from biogas units feeding back into their soils. Watersheds hold soil longer. Pollinators are returning. Young farmers talk about experimentation, not exit.

Women have been central to this rebuilding, leading seed systems, documenting wild foods, managing community nurseries, and driving biodiversity festivals that have become spaces for intergenerational knowledge exchange. Youth have engaged in mango variety documentation, participated in crowdsourced varietal trials, and taken up biochar enterprise development. Market linkages have strengthened alongside this community action. At Bhimthadi Jatra and similar platforms, Farmer Producer Organisation members have showcased and sold native rice and millet varieties directly to urban consumers, testing demand, refining branding and packaging, and building evidence that traditional grains have a market well beyond the village

Building landscapes that hold

Across Akole, Igatpuri, and Shahada, the shift is sustained and runs deep. What has taken root here grew from cocreation — communities and researchers designing, testing, and evaluating solutions together, with ownership resting where it belongs: with the people on the land.

The gains span all three dimensions the programme set out to strengthen. Ecologically, soils are healthier, watersheds more resilient, and biodiversity more actively conserved. Socially, women lead, youth innovate, and indigenous knowledge is being documented and passed on. Economically, diversified farms, clean energy, and emerging market pathways for traditional crops are reducing dependence on a single season and a single income source.

From Maharashtra to a global evidence base

The evidence generated in these three clusters, on soil health, participatory varietal selection, watershed management, and circular bioeconomy models, feeds directly into CGIAR’s broader MFL Programme. Maharashtra’s clusters inform integrated landscape approaches in rainfed smallholder contexts across South Asia and beyond..

Challenges of climate variability, market access, and livelihood security are real and ongoing. And the programme continues to generate the evidence, build the institutions, and strengthen the community capacity to meet them, season by season, village by village.

Read the full Impact Report

The BAIF Impact Report on Advancing Multifunctional Landscapes documents the evidence, methods, and people behind this work in detail.

Access the Impact Report

A practical guide to habitat creation, artificial nesting, and conservation management

When most people hear the word “bee”, the picture that comes to their mind is honeybees in wooden boxes arranged neatly along bunds and boundaries. While this is a familiar sight, this image represents only a small fraction of bee diversity. A much larger and often unnoticed community lives quietly below the surface of the soil. These are solitary and efficient ground–nesting bees who are deeply connected to the health ecosystem.

Across farms, orchards, forest boundaries and village landscapes in India, these ground-nesting bees play a crucial role in pollination. Yet, they remain largely unrecognised because their nests are underground. Unlike honeybees or bumblebees, they do not form colonies or produce honey. Each female works independently, constructing her own nest, gathering food, and ensuring the survival of her offspring. Their lives are simple, but their ecological contribution is far-reaching.

Recognising these bees begins with observing some minute details. Tiny holes in the soil, often surrounded by loose particles, mark the entrances to their nests. Bees may be seen flying low over the ground, pausing and hovering as they assess suitable nesting sites. In undisturbed, sunlight areas, multiple nests may occur together, forming quiet aggregations that signal a healthy habitat.

Ground-nesting bees include diverse groups such as mining bees and sweat bees, among others. Their nesting process is remarkably systematic. A female excavates a narrow tunnel that branches into small chambers. Each chamber is provisioned with pollen and nectar, forming a food reserve for the developing larva. After laying a single egg, she seals the chamber and repeats the process. There is no cooperation or division of labour, just consistent individual effort driven by instinct.

In some species however, males are often seen guarding the entrance of the nest, while the female forages for nectar and pollen for the developing young. The male usually remains inside near the entrance, camouflaged as a small stone or soil particle in the soil. If he senses danger or disturbance near the nest, he may temporarily prevent the female from entering until the surroundings are safe. Once the threat passes, the female is allowed to enter the nest and continue provisioning activities.

Despite their ecological importance, these bees are often misunderstood. In reality, they are gentle, as they have no hive to defend. Their activity is closely linked to seasonal flowering and soil conditions, making them sensitive indicators of environmental change. In places where they thrive, the soil is usually well-drained, biologically active, and relatively undisturbed.

Their contribution to ecosystems and agriculture is significant. Many ground–nesting bees are highly effective pollinators, sometimes outperforming managed species for certain crops due to their foraging behaviour and body structure. They support fruit set and seed production in crops such as pulses, oilseeds, vegetables, and fruit trees. At a broader level, their presence enhances biodiversity and strengthens ecosystem resilience (Klein et al. 2007; Ollerton et al., 2011).

One of the most encouraging aspects of these bees is that their conservation does not require expensive infrastructure. A simple and effective method involves creating artificial nesting habitats using soil-filled pots. This approach is practical, low-cost, and adaptable to farms, institutions, and even small home gardens.

This process begins with preparing a suitable soil mixture. A combination of 70% of red soil, 20% of well-decomposed compost and 10% of sand provides the right balance of structure and organic content. The soil should be firm enough to hold tunnels but loose enough for bees to excavate easily. Wide shallow posts work well, as they provide sufficient surface area for nesting.

Placement is equally important. Pots should be kept in the shade preferably semi-sunny areas as most ground-nesting bees prefer warmth and direct sunlight. Heavily shaded or waterlogged locations should be avoided. The surrounding area should remain relatively undisturbed to facilitate nesting activity.

Moisture management requires special care. The soil should be slightly moist but never wet. A gentle sprinkling of water is enough to maintain suitable conditions. Excess water can collapse tunnels and destroy brood development, making overwatering one of the most common and damaging mistakes. The key lies in moderation – small amounts applied carefully.

Nesting habitat alone is not sufficient; bees also need reliable food sources. Planting nectar- and pollen-rich species near the nesting area ensures continuous foraging opportunities. Crops such as mustard, sunflower, sesame, and pulses are excellent choices. An integrated approach works best. By combining nesting substrates with flowering plants in proximity, it is possible to create a self-sustaining microhabitat where bees can both nest and forage efficiently. Over time, such spaces can support a diverse and stable pollinator community.

Once established, the habitat begins to attract bees naturally. The process starts with exploration, followed by excavation, provisioning of chambers, egg laying, and sealing. As more bees adopt the site, multiple nests may develop within a single pot, forming small aggregations that indicate successful colonisation.

Long-term success depends on simple but consistent management. Disturbance should be minimised – soil should not be dug or frequently moved. Watering should remain gentle and controlled. The use of pesticides and herbicides near nesting areas must be avoided, as even low levels can harm bees. Occasional seasonal maintenance, such as refreshing soil, can be done carefully when nests are inactive.

These habitats can be easily integrated into different landscapes. On farms, they can be placed along field margins; in orchards, near flowering trees; and in home gardens, even a few pots can make a difference. They are also valuable in educational and research settings, offering opportunities to study pollinator behaviour and biodiversity.

It is important to avoid common mistakes such as overwatering, using compared or clay-heavy soil, or neglecting nearby floral resources. Small adjustment in these factors can significantly influence the success of the system. Beyond their ecological function, these habitats offer a chance to observe to connect with nature. Watching a bee emerge from a tiny hole, carry pollen, or hover over soil reveals a hidden world that often goes unnoticed. Documenting such observations can contribute to local biodiversity knowledge and inspire conservation efforts. Ground-nesting bees remind us that not every important ecological work is visible. They operate quietly, beneath our feet, sustaining pollination processes that support both natural ecosystems and agriculture. Their conservation does not require complex interactions – only awareness, a suitable habitat and a willingness to accommodate their needs.

Each pot prepared, is more than just soil. It is a living system, a refuge for pollinators, and a small but meaningful step toward ecological balance. In today’s times when natural habitat is under pressure, such simple actions can make a lasting difference.

Note: Students and Researchers with an aptitude for field work and with a keen interest in studying ground-nesting bees, are welcome to contact BAIF Central Research Station, Uruli Kanchan, Pune, Maharashtra, India by E-mail at crsbaif.baif.org.in.

References

2007. Klein, A.M., Vaissiere, B.E., Cane, J.H., Steffan-Dewenter, I., Cunningham, S.A., Kremen, C. and Tscharntke, T. Importance of Pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 274, pp.303-313.

2011. Ollerton, J., Winfree, R. and Tarrant, S. How many flowering plants are pollinated by animals? Oikos, 120, pp.321-326.

 Vinod Borse, Dhananjay Jadhav, Deepak Patil and Sadashiv Nimbalkar

The legacy of BAIF’s work with rural women is not merely recorded in fiscal ledgers or annual reports. To recognise the achievement of a woman at BAIF is to acknowledge the profound silence she has finally managed to break.

For generations, the rural woman was someone who worked behind the scenes. She rose before the sun to fetch water several kilometres away, her spine curving under the weight of brass pots. She cooked over smoky fires that stung her eyes, and she tended to cattle that belonged to the household. She was the primary worker, yet she owned nothing—not the land she tilled, not the cow she milked, and often, not even the right to speak and utter her name in a village gathering.

The achievement of BAIF is the systematic dismantling of this invisibility. It began with the Wadi Programme. When BAIF insisted that the fruit orchards be registered in the names of both husband and wife, they weren’t just ensuring the sharing of property; they were restoring their dignity. This approach changed how her husband saw her, how her children saw her, and most importantly, how she saw herself.

There is a specific kind of music in a BAIF-transformed village. It is the sound of a woman’s voice—once a whisper—now leading a Self-Help Group (SHG) meeting. These women, who were once told they couldn’t understand “money matters,” now manage lakhs of rupees. They have become the bankers of their own destinies.

The emotional weight of this achievement is best seen in the “Digital Sakhis”, “eDosts” and the “Pashu Sakhis.” Picture a woman who was once confined to her courtyard, now walking through the village with a computer tablet in her hand or a veterinary kit slung over her shoulder. She is the one the village turns to when a cow is sick or when a pension needs to be withdrawn. She has moved from being a “dependent” to being a provider of solutions. The pride in her stride is an achievement that no graph can truly capture.

Perhaps the greatest achievement is the gift of time. By bringing water to the doorstep and smokeless stoves to the kitchen, BAIF didn’t just reduce “drudgery”—they gave women a priceless gift – their lives.

With couple of hours saved from fetching wood or water, a mother can finally sit with her children while they study. She can dream of a future where her children aren’t labourers, but doctors or teachers. The cycle of poverty is being broken not by charity, but by the resilience of women who finally have the tools to match their ambition.

The true achievement isn’t just the millions of trees planted or the thousands of crossbred cows reared. It is the demolition of fear. It is the sight of a woman standing tall in a Gram Sabha, looking into the eyes of village elders and speaking for the well-being of her community.

Today, the rural woman in BAIF is a “Change Agent”. She speaks with authority, leads with competence, and serves as the primary leader of rural progress. She is the soul of the village. When she earns, the money doesn’t go waste; it goes into milk for the toddler, books for the teenager, and medicine for the elder. She is the multiplier. The narrative has shifted from one of survival to one of aspiration. Starting with a few women, after four decades, more than 18 lakh rural women are associated with BAIF’s programmes spanning 10 states in the country. The numbers are growing.

This transition outlines the strategic shift from marginalisation to leadership, while highlighting BAIF’s role in fostering sustainable empowerment.

In the forests and countryside of India, Lantana, locally known as Jarmari, is an extremely dangerous shrub, which has become a major concern for the people living in these rural areas. This plant grows on its own;It absorbs soil nutrients and moisture, making the land toxic to cattle, destroying crops, and causing economic damage to agriculture by harbouring wild animals and pests. It is a fast-spreading shrub that completely destroys the native vegetation and poses a major threat to biodiversity. However, now with the help of technology, this wild shrub can be turned into a great source of energy by turning it into biomass pellets. This article delves into the industrial use of lantana and the entire process of pellet manufacturing.

Why Lantana? (Raw Material Advantage)

Lantana is an ideal choice as a biomass because of its following characteristics:

1. High Calorific Value

The energy value of lantana wood is very high.
• Its calorific value is around 3800 to 4200 kcal/kg .
• It competes with many common woods and even inferior quality coal (lignite).

2. Abundance of Lignin (Natural Binder)

While making pellets, a ‘binder’ or glue is needed to hold the pellets together.
• The amount of lignin in lantanas is very good.
• When it is pressed (compression) in the machine, the heat melts the lignin and acts as a natural glue. With this, you do not need to add any chemical on top and the pellet becomes as strong as stone.

3. Low Ash Content

When coal is burned, up to 20-30% ash is released, which corrodes the boiler.
• The ash content of Lantana pellets is only 2% to 5%.
• This increases the lifespan of the machines and also reduces pollution.

4. Free and Unlimited Raw Material Cost

Lantana is an ‘invasive weed’.
• The farmer does not have to provide seeds, fertilizers or water to grow it.
• It is spread free of charge over forests and barren land. The government and the forest department also encourage its removal, so that raw material can be obtained very cheaply or only at the price of wages.

5. Ecosystem Restoration

If Lantana Camara is burnt, there is pollution. But if pellets of lantana are prepared, then:
• The forests will be freed of this poisonous bush.
• This will improve the ground water level and provide space for other native grasses/plants to grow.

6. Low Moisture Retention

Lantana wood dries quickly. For pellets, 10-12% moisture is needed, which is easily obtained by exposing lantana to the sun.
Comparing fuel sources, Lantana pellets are a superior and environmentally friendly alternative to coal. Coal causes high pollution, emits carbon dioxide and releases 20-30% ash, while Lantana pellets are carbon-neutral and release only 2-5% ash.
From an economic perspective, coal is often expensive and has to be imported, while Lantana offers an affordable and local solution. Most importantly, while coal mining damages the earth, clearing the invasive lantana for fuel actually helps restore wasteland and improves soil health.

The Detailed Process of Pellet Manufacturing

A systematic process is followed to prepare pellets from lantana:

1. Collection and Harvesting: Lantana from forests or wasteland is harvested from the top of the root. This can include both dry and green woods.
2. Drying: The moisture level should be 10% to 12% for making pellets. The cut lantana is dried in the sun or by using a ‘dryer machine’.
3. Crushing and Chipping: Large bushes are put into a ‘wood chipper’ machine and turned into smaller pieces. It is then converted into fine powder or sawdust through the ‘Hammer Mill’.
4. Pelletisation: This is the most important step. The pellet is passed through the moulds (dyes) of the ‘pellet mill’ at high pressure. Due to high temperature and pressure, the pellet  compresses and takes the form of a hard, shiny and cylindrical pellet.
5. Cooling & Packing: Pellets are heated when leaving the machine. These  are cooled in a ‘pellet cooler’ and then packed in sacks to protect them from moisture.

Technical Specifications

The characteristics of a standard lantana pellet are the following:

• Size: 6 – 10mm Diameter
• Humidity: < 10%
• Ash Content: 2 – 5% (much less than coal)
• Density: > 600 kg/m³ (easy to transport)

Environmental and Economic Benefits

 Coal Substitution:  The use of pellet in place of coal in industries (such as textiles, brick kilns, and power plants) reduces carbon emissions.

• Forest Conservation: Removing lantanas allows native plants and grasses to regrow in forests.
• Employment Generation:  Local people obtain employment through harvesting in rural areas.
• Cheaper energy: These pellets are economical and more efficient than coal.

Economic Benefits via Soil

• Reclamation of Wasteland: Land covered with lantana is of zero value to the farmer. After clearing it, the land is ready for cultivation of fodder  again, which increases the market price of the land.
• Compost saving: As removal of lantana returns the natural fertility  of the soil,  the cost of chemical fertiliser  is reduced in the crops grown later on.
• Benefits in animal husbandry: When lantana is removed, nutritious grass starts growing. This provides free and good fodder to the animals, which increases milk production and increases the income of the farmer.
•  Carbon Credits: If lantana is removed on a large scale and trees are planted instead,  in the future, one can also earn money from ‘carbon credits’ through Soil Carbon Sequestration.

Industrial Uses – Largest Market

In factories that require a large amount of heat, pellets are used instead of coal:

• Thermal Power Plant: Co-firing 5-10% biomass pellets with coal is now becoming mandatory to generate electricity.
• Textile and Textile Mills: Here it is used to operate boilers and in the manufacture of steam.
• Brick Kilns: As an alternative to coal for baking bricks.
• Food Processing Industry:  For manufacturing of steam in milk dairies, biscuit factories and sugar mills.
• Chemical and Pharma Company: For heating drugs and chemicals.

Commercial Uses

In cities and towns where larger machines are needed:

• Hotels and Dhabas: To operate tandoors, furnaces and large water heaters.
• Hospitals:  In large boilers for heating water and drying clothes (laundry).
• Community kitchens: Kitchen of a gurdwara or mid-day meal for cooking in large pots.

Domestic Uses

• Pellet stoves: There are special types of stoves for cooking in which very little smoke from pellets is emitted.
• Room Heaters: Pellets are burnt instead of wood to keep homes warm in colder areas.

Conclusion

The creation of biomass pellets from  Lantana  is an excellent example of ‘Waste to Wealth’ and  ‘Problem to Solution’. While this invasive weed was swallowing our forests, bio-diversity, and fertile land,  it has now become an inexhaustible source of clean energy through technology and innovation.

The project not only provides industries with a cheaper and greener alternative to coal but  also plays a revolutionary role in generating employment in rural areas, rejuvenating pastures for animal husbandry, and enhancing soil fertility.

Women’s health is not just a personal matter—it is a cornerstone of the well-being of families, communities, and nations. A healthy woman nurtures not only herself but also the people around her. As caregivers, decision-makers, and community builders, women shape families and influence the next generation. Investing in women’s health therefore goes far beyond individual well-being; it strengthens societies and contributes to healthier economies. A healthy woman is truly an asset to the nation.

Whether in a rural village or an urban city, the core responsibilities women carry are often similar. Women support families, nurture relationships, contribute to their communities, and balance multiple roles all at one time. Yet while caring for others, many women overlook their own well-being. Uplifting women’s health must therefore become the starting point of true empowerment.

A key aspect of this empowerment is preventive health, both at the individual and community level. At the individual level, preventive health means adopting healthy habits—regular physical activity such as yoga, walking, or sports; maintaining balanced nutrition; prioritizing menstrual hygiene; and undergoing timely health check-ups and screenings. Early detection of conditions such as anaemia, cervical cancer, or breast cancer can save lives and prevent long-term health complications.

At the community level, preventive health focuses on spreading awareness, improving health literacy, and creating support systems that encourage healthy lifestyles. When communities collectively prioritise prevention, they reduce disease burden, improve quality of life, and lower healthcare costs for families.

Organisations such as BAIF Development Research Foundation are actively strengthening preventive healthcare among rural and tribal women. Their work focuses on prevention and health promotion through initiatives that address anaemia, promote nutritional security, encourage sustainable menstrual hygiene practices, and facilitate cervical and breast cancer screenings for early detection. By increasing health literacy and access to basic healthcare services, these programs empower women to take charge of their health.

For many rural and tribal women, limited access to healthcare often leads to alarmingly high medical expenses which are beyond their capacity. Community-based preventive health programmes help reduce this financial burden while building healthier and more informed villages.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain,” reminds us that investing in women’s well-being today leads to stronger communities tomorrow. International Women’s Day can be more than a celebration—it can be a moment for reflection and self-growth. Each year should add something valuable to our lives. It is worth asking ourselves: What new strength, skill, or perspective have I gained this year?

Physical health grows when we keep our bodies active, while mental well-being strengthens when we nurture hobbies, build meaningful friendships, and engage in activities that bring joy and peace to the mind. Learning to celebrate small achievements, acknowledging personal progress, and setting new goals can transform this day into a milestone for personal growth.

The true spirit of women’s empowerment lies in growth, self-belief, and collective progress. When women measure their journey not against others, but against who they were yesterday, they build real confidence—and confidence turns aspirations into reality.

So let us not only celebrate International Women’s Day. Let us celebrate the journey of learning, growing, caring for ourselves, and supporting one another. Because when we give importance to women’s health—through prevention, awareness, and collective action—we truly gain stronger families, healthier communities, and a more resilient nation.

The United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer to spotlight the essential goals women play across agri-food systems from production to trade, while often going unrecognised. Women farmers are central to food security, nutrition, and economic resilience . It calls for collective action, increased investment, and mainstream gender equitable policies in agriculture. As farmers, agricultural workers, food processors, traders, entrepreneurs and community leaders, women play a central role in rural economies, natural resource management and food production – they make significant contributions to food security, nutrition and the well-being of families and communities . Globally, women are reported to make up around 43% of agricultural labour, yet they control only a small fraction of land and resources, and are often excluded from credit, technology, and markets. The International Year aims to shift this imbalance by making women’s contributions visible, amplifying their voices in policy, and strengthening women centred programmes.

The Indian context

In India, women are the backbone of agriculture, albeit they are seldom recognised as farmers in their own right. Official records often treat them as “dependents,” “family helpers,” or “casual labourers” because the legal and institutional framework links the identity of a “farmer” mainly to land ownership, which remains male dominated. This invisibility means women’s labour is undervalued, under paid, and excluded from many schemes and benefits. Farm women are also heavily concentrated in the most labour intensive, drudgerous tasks, whereas control of mechanisation and decision making around crops remains in the hands of men. They rarely own land or hold titles to farm assets, which limits their access to credit, insurance, and government schemes, even when they are the ones managing day to day cultivation. Therefore, priority action areas include: increasing women’s access to and control over productive resources; developing gender-sensitive value chains; investing in labour-saving technologies; and addressing gender issues in climate change adaptation and resilience building. For India, this year presents an opportunity to confront the structural gaps that keep farm women at the margins of decision making, land ownership, and income security.

Increasing Feminisation of agriculture in India

In India, agriculture employs about 80% of rural women , with higher shares in some states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. However, land ownership remains the most glaring inequality. As per the agricultural census, 2015-16, at the national level, only 14% of operational land holdings are owned by women, which amounts to 11% of the total land in the country. This gap reflects patriarchal inheritance practices and limited success of land reforms. The phenomenon of “feminisation of agriculture” is also evident with men migrating to cities or to non farm work. However, this feminisation is not inherently empowering; it often means women manage more work without greater control over income, technology, or policy space.

• Home | International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF) 2026 | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
• https://www.fao.org/woman-farmer-2026/en

Although the majority of women are full time agricultural workers, yet they appear in records as “casual labourers” or “family helpers.” This invisibility directly translates into lower wages and weaker entitlements. Women are often paid less than men for the same tasks, and their work is not counted in household income. Their contributions—as seed savers, animal caretakers, and market linked producers—are treated as “natural” or “unskilled” rather than as skilled labour, which further entrenches economic dependence.

Women are disproportionately concentrated in the most physically demanding and time consuming tasks: transplanting paddy, weeding, harvesting, threshing, fetching water and fodder, and tending livestock and kitchen gardens. These activities are often back breaking, poorly compensated, and tied to seasonal spikes, yet they are rarely mechanised or supported by ergonomic tools. Women often work 10–12 hours a day in the fields, then perform household chores late into the night, with little rest or recognition. Mechanisation has largely favoured male dominated tasks like ploughing and sowing, while “women’s tasks” remain labour intensive, reinforcing patterns of drudgery instead of shared farm work.

Women’s exclusion as farmers and decision-makers limits their role in household and community decisions about cropping patterns, technology adoption, and market linkages. Men often control income from crops, while women bear responsibility for household food sufficiency and livestock, yet their insights are rarely considered into practice and policy dialogues.

In response to these challenges, the Government of India has introduced several schemes that explicitly target women farmers. Some of the schemes include Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) under DAY NRLM, which is aimed at improving the productivity and income of women farmers by promoting agriculture-based livelihood options. It provides women with technical training, financial support, and a better understanding of sustainable agriculture. Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM), a component of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, provides benefits for women, such as subsidised hiring or purchase of equipment that reduces drudgery. Another key initiative is the Namo Drone Didi scheme aiming to empower women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by equipping them with drone technology to provide agricultural services. This initiative is expected to generate an additional income of at least Rs. 1 lakh per year for each SHG, contributing to economic empowerment and sustainable livelihood generation.

BAIF’s Initiatives for Farm Women

Alongside government schemes, several NGOs and farmer movements have emerged as strong advocates for farm women empowerment. BAIF Development Research Foundation which has a long history and avowed commitment towards women as equal partners in fostering sustainable rural development. To this end, some of our programmes implemented in partnership with corporates have focussed exclusively on women farmers, like ‘Prerna: Empower Women Farmers as Change Makers in Agriculture’ wherein women farmers were given knowledge support through package of practices, access to mechanisation, and tractor driving. A similar initiative, ‘Sathi’ was also designed for women farmers in tribal areas, specific to their needs. BAIF also has a women-led farmer producer organisation (FPO) in Maharashtra is developing milk value chain. On-farm women entrepreneurs are also being nurtured through expert guidance, training, market linkages and finance, as required.
Through its initiatives, BAIF recognises women farmers as custodians of traditional seeds and indigenous knowledge, helping conserve agrobiodiversity. Women participants are also championed as catalysts for digital and financial inclusion, enabling them to access banking services, government schemes, and digital platforms with confidence. BAIF also advances gender and technology inclusion, by means of programmes, such as, Drone Didis, eDost, and Sanvadini, bridging the digital divide and creating new livelihood opportunities while positioning rural women as leaders in sustainable and technology-driven development.

• NITI AAYOG, India | Rural Women: Key to New India’s Agrarian Revolution
• National Commission for Women

Conclusion

In summary, the 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer provides a powerful frame to highlight both the scale of women’s contributions in Indian agriculture and the persistent gaps in recognition, assets, and agency. It provides an opportunity to acknowledge their vital role as well as the challenges they continue to face. Government policies such as Namo Drone Didi and MKSP, along with NGO supported initiatives, are beginning to shift the landscape, but much more is needed to ensure that farm women are not only seen but also empowered as equal partners in India’s food future.