A review of the Indian literature on women in agriculture

In recent years, India has seen an increase in study on different elements of women's lives, with early emphasis on social aspects of their status giving way to studies of women's place in the economic realm, a change spurred by the worrying decrease in female involvement. While farm pressure groups and protests have long been a part of Indian history as a result of deep-rooted structural problems such as colonial extraction, manipulative cropping patterns, corporatization of agriculture, and low investments, recent farmer protests have seen a historical trend emerge: the participation of female laborers, women farmers, farm widows, and the consequent viability of agriculture. This article examines the academic literature on women in agriculture, identifying gaps and suggesting topics for further research.