Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana aims to empower and increase the participation of women in agriculture
Through opportunities and funding, the Mahila Kisan Sashaktiran Pariyojana aims to increase the participation of women in agriculture and enhance their job opportunities as well.
The Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana was started with an to empower women in agriculture and enhance work opportunities for them.
A component of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), the programme aims to increase not just women's participation in agriculture, but also improve their skills and capabilities to support farm-based activities, and help women have better access to inputs and services of government and other agencies.
It mainly focuses on strengthening community institutions of poor women farmers, and leveraging their strength to promote sustainable agriculture.
In India, as data suggests, almost 84 percent of women depend on agriculture for their livelihood. They make up about 33 percent of cultivators, and about 47 percent of agricultural labourers.
This week, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, in a written statement to the Lok Sabha shared that - "As per Agriculture Census conducted at an interval of every five years by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, the percentage of female operational holdings in the country have increased from 12.78 percent during 2010-11 to 13.78 percent during 2015-16."
The Minister also shared that the primary objective of MKSP is to "empower women by enhancing their participation in agriculture and to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for them. Funding support to the tune of up to 60 percent (90 percent for North Eastern States) for such projects is provided by the Government of India."
He also shared that the Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare is also promoting mainstreaming of 'Gender Concerns' in agriculture by ensuring flow of funds and benefits to the tune of 30 percent for women farmers under its beneficiary oriented schemes and programmes. Besides, the government is providing additional support and assistance to women farmers, over and above the male farmers, under a few selected schemes.
(Edited by Megha Reddy)
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