Women Farmers: Unheard Being Heard

Book excerpt: This edited volume celebrates the positive stories and small changes happening with respect to gender equality in the field of agriculture. This book identify crisis which a woman faces in the field of agriculture as a farmer. The book shares unsung stories of women farmers who are bringing change at the grassroots. It puts together the positive developments experienced by the experts, researchers, professional while working for and with women farmers, to highlight the challenges to bring equity in agriculture. Women in agriculture often lack identity where either they are recognized as farmer’s wife or a farm labourer. Women farmers who contribute 60 percent in to farm practices like sowing, transplanting, fertilizer application, weeding, harvesting, winnowing are merely recognised and provided an equal level playing field. Women are also found participating in the various forms of processing and marketing of agriculture produce, along with the cultivation but system has failed to protect their rights and offer them a platform to voice their concerns. This book shares the process, challenges, experience, strategy from the narrative of progressive women farmers so as to highlight and understand what it takes to bring changes for achieving the goals of an equitable farming ecosystems. The book is a relevant reading material for students, researchers, professionals and policy advocates in agriculture and gender research.