President of India Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Global Conference on the Role of Women in Agri-Food Systems (GCWAS-2026) in New Delhi today.
She stressed that women in agriculture must play greater roles in policy formulation, decision-making, and leadership positions.
She highlighted women’s vital contributions across farming activities such as sowing, harvesting, fisheries, beekeeping, animal husbandry, and forest produce utilisation. She noted that girls now make up more than half of students in agricultural universities and often excel academically. She urged stakeholders to support these students so they can lead in agriculture and food systems.
President Murmu underlined that the United Nations declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, calling for collective action to close gender gaps. She emphasised India’s vision of women-led development and the need to empower women farmers with land titles, technical knowledge, financial resources, and institutional support.
She praised initiatives like Self-Help Groups and Farmer-Producer Organisations that have strengthened women’s participation in agriculture. She urged stakeholders to prioritise gender inclusion in every sphere, linking it to achieving Sustainable Development Goals and creating a more harmonious planet.
GCWAS-2026 is jointly organised by TAAS, ICAR, CGIAR, and PPV&FRA. The three-day conference will deliberate on strengthening policy frameworks and ecosystems to mainstream gender participation and highlight the indispensable role of women in building sustainable agri-food systems.
