Hyderabad: With the United Nations declaring 2026 the International Year of Women Farmers, a closer look at Telangana’s agricultural landscape reveals a striking statistic: women now make up nearly 60% of the agricultural workforce. This shift has come amid increasing migration of men to non-farm jobs, a phenomenon researchers describe as the “feminisation of agriculture”.However, projections point to a worrying trend. Without timely and effective interventions, the proportion of women relying solely on farm labour could rise by as much as 27%. This trajectory poses a serious risk, leaving many women disenfranchised and missing opportunities to become brand owners or gain ownership of the crops they cultivate — key pathways to empowerment and economic independence.The transformation is particularly visible in Telangana’s rural hinterland, where women’s employment remains closely tied to agriculture while land ownership among them continues to be severely limited. Data shows that women constitute nearly half of the state’s agricultural workforce, yet only about 12–15% own land, highlighting a significant structural gap.At the same time, the composition of the agricultural workforce is shifting. While women’s participation in wage labour is increasing, the number of women who are land-owning cultivators is declining. Estimates suggest a 27% rise in female agricultural labourers, signalling a deeper process of “proletarianisation”. In effect, more women are becoming dependent on low-paid, insecure farm work rather than exercising control over land and production.Looking ahead to 2047, projections indicate that without substantial structural interventions, between 48% and 52% of employed women may remain concentrated in low-productivity agricultural roles. Analysts say moving women from being merely farm labourers to higher-value roles, particularly as entrepreneurs and brand owners linked to agro-processing and value chains, will be critical to achieving long-term development goals. Regional disparities are also expected to shape how women’s roles in agriculture evolve across Telangana.
