Women who work the fields must be recognised as farmers, says Shivraj Chouhan at Sanchi

Women who work in the fields with their own hands should be formally recognised as farmers, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said at a Women Farmers’ Day programme in Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, on Friday.

“Women who work in the fields with their own hands are women farmers,” Chouhan said. “We will make every effort to ensure that they receive formal recognition.” He said their work in crop cultivation, animal husbandry, dairying and livestock care often goes unrecognised, that their contribution should count as much as land ownership, and that he would raise the issue on suitable platforms.

Jobs over handouts

Chouhan, who is also Rural Development Minister, said financial aid alone would not end poverty. “Poverty can be eradicated by connecting families with employment and income-generating opportunities,” he said.

He announced a pilot in Raisen and Vidisha districts to connect every family in every village with at least one source of livelihood. Women could run pulse mills, oil-processing units or small food businesses such as tomato ketchup making, he suggested, with training, machinery, technical help and easier loans, and he called for more women-led farmer producer organisations.

Roads and houses

The minister laid foundation stones for 46 roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. On housing, he said 5,035 houses were sanctioned in the Sanchi assembly constituency in 2024-25 and 3,081 in 2025-26, along with 218 under PM JANMAN and 246 under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan. A recent survey found that 22,477 more houses are needed in the area.