Centre considering legislation for women farmers’ empowerment, says PM-EAC Chairman

S. Mahendra Dev describes the Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Act, 2026 as a landmark law that other States can draw inspiration from

Updated - August 08, 2026 02:17 pm IST - CHENNAI

Dignitaries at the inauguration of a conference on ‘Building Gender-just Food, Land, and Water Systems’ at the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Chennai | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Union government is considering a separate legislation to protect the rights of women farmers, on the lines of the Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Act, 2026, S. Mahendra Dev, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, said in Chennai on Friday (August 7, 2026).

Speaking at the inauguration of a conference on ‘Building Gender-just Food, Land, and Water Systems’ at the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Professor Dev described the Maharashtra law as a landmark legislation and said other States could draw inspiration from it. “The Centre is also discussing something similar,” he said.

Highlighting the need to place women at the centre of agrifood systems, he said agriculture should shift from being production-centric to income-centric. This, he said, could be achieved through crop diversification, better post-harvest marketing, food and agro-processing, and institutional support to enhance farmers’ incomes.

Aditi Sunil Tatkare, Maharashtra Minister for Women and Child Development, said the legislation reflected the government’s commitment to recognising women farmers through policy measures. She said the Bill received support across party lines, when it was introduced in the Assembly. “It was an optimistic moment. Implementation will begin this year,” she said, adding that women farmers should also be equipped with financial and digital literacy.

The ongoing Census exercise should capture the contribution of women, particularly their unpaid household work, C. Chandramouli, former IAS officer and member of the MSSRF Board of Trustees, said. He urged enumerators to ensure the collection of gender-disaggregated data, cautioning that gender-blind laws could have far-reaching consequences.

Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of MSSRF, said the Foundation’s programmes are built around the three pillars of poverty reduction, gender equity and sustainability. Noting that 2026 has been designated the UN International Year of the Woman Farmer, she said she was pleased that the legislation, first proposed by M.S. Swaminathan in 2011, had finally become a reality.

The Foundation also released its Annual Report for 2025-26.

Published - August 08, 2026 02:16 pm IST

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