The Role of Tractors in Empowering Women Farmers

What if women quit farming? Imagine a time when women stopped labouring in the fields. India's agriculture industry would collapse. 

Women account for almost 65-70% of the agricultural workforce. From planting seeds to gathering crops, women farmers have been the pillar of Indian agriculture. Still, they remain unseen and are sometimes denied land rights, access to modern tools, and recognition as farmers. 

However, their advancement has been gradual since conventional farming techniques are labour-intensive. Now that tractors are part of their farming operations, they transform their function and increase their independence, output, and financial empowerment.

Breaking Barriers with Tractors

Tractors were once thought to be a man's domain. Heavy machinery, difficult terrain, and social conventions kept women off mechanized farming. But women farmers are now challenging preconceptions and running their fields—driving tractors with assurance and increasing agricultural output.

Government projects and commercial companies have come forward to offer, especially female tractor training courses. Mahindra, John Deere, Swaraj, and Indo Farm are creating women-friendly tractors with power steering, comfortable seating, and simple controls.

Women in Kerala, Maharashtra, and Punjab actively engage in tractor training, demonstrating that, given the correct instruments, females can grasp contemporary farming methods just as effectively as men.

Tractors, Technologies & Initiatives for Women Farmers 

Tractor Manufacturing companies have boldly empowered Indian women to learn tractors and grow as farmers. Mahindra's Prerana Initiative promotes gender-friendly farm equipment and empowers more than 2000 women to get knowledge and training to increase the productivity of their fields. 

John Deere's "Mai Durga Hoon" campaign also mentioned that women are no less than men when driving heavy machines like tractors. Indo Farm Tractors helps women become financially independent by removing the speed button and installing gender-friendly mechanisms in their tractors. 

In January 2024, CSIR launched the Prima ET11 electric tractor. This tractor is specially designed for women farmers with re-arranged controls and electronic switches that are more accessible to women. 

Women Pioneers Inspiring the Nation

Bollywood has always inspired people. Be it Nargis ji from the Mother India movie, who plowed the fields herself, or Sai Pallavi and Anushka Sharma driving a tractor in the fields, all these artists have praised the contribution of women working in rural areas of India and depicted the challenges in their lives.

Not only these Bolly divas but also women in real life have pioneered the agriculture field with the help of modern technology and advanced machines like tractors. A few remarkable ladies who have taken up tractor farming and made headlines are:

Suresho: Saharanpur 's tractor lady

She is a self-reliant female farmer in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. She set a significant example for other women in UP by learning to use a tractor and then using it on her farms.

Misbah: Zaheerabad's Tractor Instructor 

Misbah is a farmer by profession and a tractor-driving instructor. She has completed a tractor-driving program where she is the only woman among 80 men. She also encouraged 40 other women to join the program; to date, she is influencing women in rural communities.

Aniamma John: Mini Chechi of Kerala 

Aniyamma, an older lady in Kerala, is a farmer-homemaker. She learned to drive tractors through the government's Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana. She believes that learning to drive a tractor will help her improve agriculture and earn more profits from her fields. 

Amarjeet: Adhoyi Village, Ambala (Haryana)

Amarjeet has more than 15 years of farming experience. She has grown a lot from working in the field with her father to managing 8.5 acres of land using modern machinery like Tractors, MB Ploughs, Happy Seeders, etc. 

These success tales inspire more women to embrace tractors, demonstrating that they are leaders in the field rather than only a helping hand. These women work diligently on the farms, and tractors support them at every step of their journey to becoming the superior farmers of the nation. 

Conclusion

Women are not just quiet workers now. They own farms and make decisions. Celebrate women who drive change and tractors on Women's Day. Investing in them funds rural economies and food security.

TractorGyan’s Strength Also Lies in Women 

We are glad to mention that the majority of our team is women who are working diligently to make TractorGyan the most trusted platform of Indian farmers. We express our gratitude to each and every woman associated with TractorGyan who are with us in every achievement. And we thank them wholeheartedly for their love, cooperation, dedication. 

Happy Women's Day to all the women farmers who are reshaping the future of India!