"I am the first woman farmer in my block who started cultivation 15 years back," said 45 years old Aisha Begum Khatoon of Hridaypur village in Ambedkarnagar district. When she picked up the hoe for the first time, all the villagers rebuked her for treading on a man's domain. However, she decided to move forward, despite all odds, in order to look after her three daughters and one son.
Her husband lives in the city and takes no interest in agricultural activities. She owns a mere half acre land, but by resorting to organic farming, she is able to provide bread and better to her family of five members. She is now able to produce more than 20 varieties of crops, thanks to organic farming, and has become a role model for other women farmers of her area. Aisha Begum is grateful to the Gorakhpur Environmental Action Group (GEAG), for teaching her multi-layer cropping patterns, as well as time and space management.
Organic farming has provided her with a sustainable and economically viable model of agriculture production. She is also involved with Ekta Self Help Group and is the President of NARI Manch (this forum provides agriculture related information to women farmers). She has also been successful in creating more than 250 self help groups. Now her husband and her other family members take pride in her work. The Uttar Pradesh state agriculture Minister, Mr Chaudhari Laxmi Narayan, awarded her recently, during the Kisaan Sansad (Farmers' Parliament), in recognition of her excellent work in agriculture production.
Women farmers, despite being one of the biggest labor forces in India, are still fighting for their rights and identity. In India more than 84 per cent of women are involved in agricultural and/or allied activities. The agricultural sector provides employment to nearly 4/5 of the total women work force in India. One third of the agricultural laborers are women and 48 per cent of the women farmers are considered self employed in the agriculture sector.
According to a study conducted by GEAG, in Uttar Pradesh, 70 per cent of the state's population is involved in agricultural activities, making it a food surplus state. Women family members of about 80% of small and marginal farmers are involved in agricultural activities.Yet land holding rights of women farmers are a mere 6.5 per cent out of which a majority of them (81 per cent) got their land after the death of their husband, while only 19 per cent got it from their mother's side.
Neelam Prabhat, State Coordinator, Aaroh Abhiyaan, (a campaign for the empowerment of women farmers and their rights) working in GEAG, Uttar Pradesh said, "despite the tremendous contribution of women farmers in agricultural sector ,they have always been marginalized and denied their rights, not only by their family and society ,but by the policy makers as well. In general, they are treated as the assistants of male farmers."
She further said, " According to a recent report published by The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 40 million people have been pushed into hunger this year mostly due to soaring food prices, and the number of undernourished people worldwide is approaching the 1-billion mark. We can reduce this number if we empower women farmers and give them land holdings rights and joint bank accounts with their husbands."
The total number of hungry people has risen to 963 million this year, up from 923 million last year. FAO has cautioned, in the latest edition of its global hunger report, that this number could rise further as a result of the ongoing financial and economic crisis. In view of this we should strengthen production in a comprehensive way and should give the rights, long over due, to women farmers. In this way they will become an asset, not only to their families but also to society and the entire country.
PermalinkSubmitted by rakib ahmad on Sun, 28/03/2010 - 15:14
Thanks Amit, for the inspiring story of a marginalised woman farmer in UP. I am working at grassroots level in Assam. Separation of land patta in favour of daughters sh be completed by fathers in their lifetime. 2ndly' Issuing landholding certificates by circle officers/ tehsildars in favour of woman sh be legally made mandatory, within say, 100 days of application. Due to lack of land papers, woman farmers find it difficult to form acceptable groups for subsidy.
The Archeological Survey of India is all set to take Oil and Natural Gas Corporation to the court for the cracks at the historic Rongghar. According to information, the legal the ASI will finalise its legal proceedings in a day or two saying it’s nothing but the seismic survey carried out by a company deployed by the oil giant that results in the cracks. In yet another development, the All Assam Tai Ahom Atudents Students Union has called for ONGC bandh on Wednesday demanding an immediate halt of the survey in the area and also for adequate compensation for the loss.
The day two of the Assam Assembly's Budget session began with a rocause as soon as it began. As the House started its proceedings, Palashbari independent legislator Pranab Kalita wanted to know if the Government can stop the liquor shops. In his reply, excise minister Gautom Roy informed the House that the it is impossible for the Government to stop the liquor shops saying the Government earns a good amount of revenue to the tune of R. 300 crore a year with these business. This has created a fresh controversy in the House. Meanwhile, the main Opposition is ready to bring an adjournment motion at any time citing the Government's failure on all fronts.
Two hardcore ULFA cadres were killed during a Police and Army join operation in Upper Assam’s Dibrugarh district early in the morning on Tuesday. According to information, the joint operation was launched at the Telpani Forest area under Lahowal area. Both the ULFAmen namely Parikshit Kalita and Tapan Baruah were ULFA’s 28 battalion. Army and para military troops are cordoning off the entire area. Details are awaited.
The Opposition Asom Gana Parishad is all set to move an adjournment motion as soon as the Assam Assembly session begins it’s second pay proceedings. According to information, the main opposition party has already submitted the notice on Monday to this effect. The regional party leaders here say this morning that AGP will be backed by BJP, AUDF, CPI and CPM. They observed that despite the Government’s talk claim the state’s law and order situation continues to be grim with the murder and murder cases refusing to halt. Further, they maintain that the state’s financial position is worsening day by day and the Government continues to run on loan. But the ruling party...
Activists of various Moran organization under the banner of All Assam Moran Students' Union seen in confrontation during the 4 hour long dharna demanding Scheduled tribe and Autonomy for the Moran Community in front Secretariat at Dipsur Lastgate on the first day of the Assembly Budget Session at Guwahati on 03-03-08. Pix by UB Photos.
The City police have apprehended one suspected NDFB ultra suspected to be involved in the firing incident in Rupnagar area, Guwahati this afternoon. Police have suspected that the militant was in the Rupnagar area beside the ASTC workshop to collect cash. Acting on tip off the police chased them. They started firing the police vehicle forcing the police to retaliate immediately. After the end of the half and hour firing, the two militants have been apprehending. Investigation is in progress.
A firing incident is being reported in the city's Rupnagar area at around 3-15 on Monday afternoon causing panic in the area. Details are awaited. Meanwhile, the Guwahati police have averted a major blast while it recovered a powerful bomb from a city bus at Azara. The one kilogram bomb recovered during a routine check by the police in the Saatmile area Monday morning. According to information, the bomb planted at a plastic pot and somebody sent it to the city. Later the police took the bomb to diffuse it. The entire case in under investigation and the police have yet to ascertain the miscreants involved in it.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi will table the 2008-09 Budget of the State on March 10 in the Assam Assembly which began on Monday with the Governor's address. The Government is all set to place several Bills on the floor. These include The Assam Appropriation (No. 1) Bill, 2008; the Assam Appropriation (No. II) Bill, 2008; the Assam Agricultural Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2008; the Assam Tax on Luxuries (Hotels and Lodging Houses) (Amendment) Bill, 2008; the Assam Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2008; the Assam Entry Tax Bill, 2008; the Assam Administrative Tribunal (Amendment) Bill, 2008; the Mising Autonomous Council (Amendment) Bill, 2008; the Rabha-Hasong Autonomous Council (...
From Assam Assembly, Guwahati:The Opposition has come sown heavily on the Assam Government for its failure on all fronts. Reacting to the Assam Governor’s address on the floor of the House on Monday morning, the Opposition leaders have alleged that the Governor’s address failed to bring real picture. They say the vital issue confronting the state have been downplayed in the speech adding that the entire speech is a traditional ineffective one. Notably, the governor had to cut short his address due to the din following the trading of charges and counter charges among the members of both the ruling and Opposition sides.
Assam Governor Lt general (Retd) Ajoy Kumar Singh says the anti insurgency operation in Assan has been by and large successful. Addressing the Assam legislative Assembly on its opening day of the Budget session in the morning, the Governor says his Government has been doing a lot for overall development of the state. He further says the government has been implementing lots of schemes for the welfare of the people. A visibly upset Opposition parties have stood up alleging that the Government has been failing on all fronts. This has created an uproar in the House. This has forced the Governor to cut short his address.
Comments
Pages
Add new comment