78% women farmers in India face gender discrimination, reveals study

Almost 40% of the respondents reported lower income than men and less access to financing

Almost 78 per cent women farmers in the country face gender discrimination, a latest study has revealed.

The 17-country study by Corteva Agriscience, the agriculture division of DowDuPont showed, that although women are proud to be in agriculture, there is widespread gender discrimination, both in developing or developed world and the removal could take decades. The study, which included 4,160 respondents, perceived gender discrimination ranging from 78 per cent in India to 52 per cent in the US, according to an official statement released on Tuesday.

Almost 40 per cent of the respondents reported lower income than men and less access to financing, while only half said that they were equally successful as their male counterparts. About 38 per cent of the respondents said they are empowered to make decisions about how income is used in farming and agriculture. High on the list of concerns were financial stability, the welfare of their families and achieving a work/life balance.

“While we know women make up almost half of the world’s farmers, this study validates that challenges continue to persist, holding back not only the women in agriculture but also the people who depend on them — their families, their communities, and the societies,” said Krysta Harden, vice-president, external affairs and chief sustainability officer, Corteva Agriscience.

According to the study, 72 per cent said it would take one to three decades or more to achieve full equality. Some of the key actions required to remove obstacles to equality include more training in technology, more academic education, more support — legal and otherwise.