Women Lead Farming in Kashmir

The year 2026 is being celebrated as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, as declared by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to highlight women’s critical roles in agri-food systems. The core focus is that women sustain farms, yet remain undercounted and under-supported.

In Jammu and Kashmir, this reality is clearly visible.

The region has long been a patriarchal society, where women have had limited autonomy, a smaller role in decision-making, and remained largely confined to their homes. Yet one sector has always told a different story—where women overcome men, stay at the forefront, and act as its backbone. 

That sector is agriculture.

During the Budget Session in March 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare presented data to the Rajya Sabha that highlights this reality. Nearly 77.76 per cent of the female workforce in Jammu and Kashmir is engaged in agriculture and allied activities, placing the region among the highest in the country. 

The figures are based on the Periodic Labour Force Survey 2023–24. The data also show that 67,902 women farmers in the region accessed agricultural credit under the Kisan Credit Card Modified Interest Subvention Scheme during 2024 to 2025.

Jammu and Kashmir stands well above the national level, where women make up 64.36 per cent of the agricultural workforce. Only a few states report similar or higher participation. Bihar leads with 82.06 per cent, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 81.83 per cent, Himachal Pradesh records 78.45 per cent, and Chhattisgarh stands at 77.04 per cent.

These numbers convey a deeper truth — Women in Kashmir are not just supporting agriculture, they are sustaining it.

Across north, central, and south Kashmir, this participation is visible in every stage of the agricultural cycle.

In north Kashmir, women take the lead in harvesting water chestnuts from Wular Lake. From late September to November each year, they wake before dawn, step into cold waters, and gather the seasonal crop that sustains their families. They move through mud, often ankle-deep, wearing long boots to protect themselves from sharp spines. Later, they stand alongside men in markets, selling the produce in wicker baskets.

In Pampore, known as the saffron town, women remain the silent workforce behind one of Kashmir’s most valued crops. At dawn, they hand-pick delicate crocus flowers and carefully separate the crimson stigmas. While men often control land and earnings, it is women’s labour that defines the harvest.

In the rice fields of Anantnag and across the Valley, women spend long hours transplanting saplings, weeding, harvesting, and threshing. Their work forms the base of food production in the region. During the planting season, fields come alive with traditional folk songs sung by women. Their voices, in rhythm, carry across the fields, showing their deep connection with farming.

In Ganderbal, central Kashmir, women play an indispensable role in willow wicker farming, participating in every stage from cultivation and harvesting to post-harvest work. They carry out the labour-intensive task of peeling willow twigs by hand to prepare the raw material for weaving into exquisite handicraft items. This work forms the backbone of the local wicker craft industry, sustaining a centuries-old heritage while providing crucial support to household incomes.

Beyond these visible roles in farming, women also maintain family vegetable gardens and ensure a steady supply of food. During the apple season, they pick, sort, grade, and pack fruit. In walnut growing areas, they collect, dry, and process the produce. They tend livestock, collect fodder, and manage dairy work. Their knowledge of land, seasons, and crops is built over the years and passed across generations.

Moreover, in recent years, many women have begun turning labour into leadership. In Gassu village, women now manage strawberry fields, earning up to Rs 60,000 per Kanal. In Kupwara, Showkeena Akhter has built integrated farming combining mushrooms, poultry, sheep, and vegetables, earning lakhs of rupees annually and inspiring others. In Bandipora, Asiya Begum has converted her house’s rooftop into a vegetable garden, where she grows mushrooms and vegetables and sells them in the market. Without owning any land, she earns a stable income and also trains other women to do the same.

In the border area of Kupwara, Shahnaza Riyaz has formed groups of women to process and market morels and walnuts, increasing their incomes and helping them gain financial independence. In Shopian, Syed Shazia Latif has taken up integrated farming and introduced new crops and practices, including exotic vegetables and poultry. She has also brought new birds like emu to Kashmir for the first time, which is the national bird of Australia. It shows her willingness to try new ideas.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that if given the same support as men, women can increase farm yields by 20 to 30 per cent, leading to higher output and a significant reduction in hunger.

To strengthen women’s participation in agriculture, the central government informed Parliament during the Budget Session that several schemes are in place. These include training through Krishi Vigyan Kendras, support under the Agriculture Technology Management Agency, and financial assistance through agricultural marketing schemes. Under the Agri Clinic and Agri Business Centres scheme, women receive higher subsidies of up to 44 per cent, compared to 36 per cent for general applicants.