I

Introduction

Agriculture in India has been going through a big transformation in recent years. Due to demographic, distress, and other factors, men have been migrating to urban areas in large numbers and women have been pushed to take the responsibilities of agriculture. For example, the share of women farmers has increased from 42 per cent in 2004–05 to 52 per cent in 2009–10 (NSSO, 2010). This has been increasing for more than two decades. The increasing participation of women in place of men has been termed as feminization of Indian agriculture.

While the share of women's participation in agriculture has increased substantially, the proportion of land-owning women farmers out of the total women farmers is very less. Around 12 per cent of the total agricultural holdings are operated by women covering 9.3 per cent of the total land but without any data regarding their ownership of the operated area (Agricultural Census, 2005–06). However, it is argued that women's participation in agriculture can increase efficiency and productivity if they are simultaneously given title to the land. Unless women get access to land, the efficient use of land resources cannot be ensured. This factor has been recognized by the policy makers, and there have been efforts since the 1990s to increase women's access to land through ownership. There have been legislative reforms in favour of women and other policy changes in the domains of extension, input services and technology favouring women.