President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said women's contribution in agri-food systems is not recognised and there is a need to change this story. Women are kept at the bottom of the pyramid of the agriculture structure and they are denied the opportunities to climb the ladder and assume the role of decision makers, she said.
In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic brought to the fore a strong correlation between agri-food systems and structural inequality in society, she added.
"Women sow, grow, harvest, process and market the food. They are indispensable in bringing food from farm to plate. But still across the world, they are held back and stopped by discriminatory social norms... Their contribution is not recognised.
"Their role is marginalised. Their existence is denied in the whole chain of agri-food systems. This story needs to be changed," Murmu said, addressing a global conference in New Delhi on gender issues in agriculture.
She said, agriculture cannot be promoted solely on commercial consideration as its social obligation is critical for the survival of humanity. Murmu said climate change is an existential threat and the clock is ticking. "We need to act now, fast and swiftly," she stressed.
The four-day conference is being organised jointly by the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR) Gender Impact Platform and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Ministers of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary and Shobha Karandlaje, Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja, ICAR Director General Himanshu Pathak, CGIAR Executive Managing Director Andrew Campbell and Director of CGIAR Gender Impact Nicoline de Haan were present at the event.