Women Dominate India’s Agricultural Workforce but Lag in Top Positions: Report

A new report highlights a stark contrast in India’s agriculture sector. While women make up 64.4% of the agricultural workforce, only 6-10% hold positions in top agribusiness and related companies.

The report, titled “Women in Agribusiness - Opportunities and Challenges,” was unveiled during the second Women in Agriculture Summit, organised by Godrej Agrovet Ltd in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) and Godrej DEI Lab.

Speaking at the event, Balram Singh Yadav, Managing Director, Godrej Agrovet, emphasized the importance of increasing women’s representation in agriculture. "We believe the future of agribusiness lies in empowering women through education, workplace inclusivity, and leadership development," Yadav said.

He further highlighted that Godrej Agrovet had pledged to support 100,000 women across the agricultural value chain and proudly noted that they have already impacted 20,000 women within a year.

The report points out that while women make up 30-40% of total enrolment in agricultural education programs, very few transition into formal employment in the sector.

Vidya Vemireddy, Faculty Member at IIMA, described this as a “paradox,” noting that despite women’s significant presence in the agricultural workforce and academia, they are largely absent from formal employment structures.

Roadmap for Bridging Gender Gaps
The report suggests several strategies to close this gap, including: Ensuring equitable access to resources, implementing gender-responsive training programs and promoting inclusive workplace reforms to encourage retention and leadership among women.

During the summit, Nisaba Godrej, Executive Chairperson of Godrej Consumer Products Ltd, and Balram Singh Yadav announced the launch of the Godrej Agrovet Women in Agriculture Scholarship, which will support five students pursuing agricultural studies.

Mallika Mutreja, Head of Human Resources at Godrej Agrovet, shared that the company has increased women’s representation from 8% to 12% in FY25 and is committed to raising it to 32% by FY28.

The summit also hosted engaging panel discussions, including: “Breaking Barriers for Women in Agriculture”, “Boardroom to Breakthroughs: Women in Leadership”. These discussions featured insights from industry leaders, emphasizing the need for continued efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable agricultural landscape.