New Delhi: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has announced plans to develop a national gender platform aimed at strengthening women’s participation and leadership in agriculture across India. The initiative will connect more than 900 agricultural institutions, including ICAR institutes, agricultural universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras, to promote research, capacity-building and extension services focused on women farmers.
The announcement was made during the concluding session of the Global Conference on Women in Agri-Food Systems 2026 held in New Delhi. The three-day conference brought together policymakers, scientists, development experts and women farmers from around the world to discuss ways to enhance women’s role in agri-food systems and promote inclusive agricultural development.
According to ICAR Director General M. L. Jat, the new platform will facilitate collaboration among institutions to strengthen gender-focused research, data systems and training programmes. He said empowering women with knowledge, resources and decision-making roles can significantly improve farm productivity, profitability and sustainability.
Experts at the conference highlighted that women contribute 60–70 percent of agricultural labour in many regions but often lack equal access to land, credit, technology and markets. The proposed platform aims to address these gaps by promoting gender-responsive policies, better data collection and institutional partnerships.
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The conference also adopted the Delhi Declaration, calling for the creation of a global alliance to promote women’s leadership and entrepreneurship in agri-food systems and ensure improved access to resources, finance and innovation.
The initiative is expected to strengthen India’s efforts to build a more inclusive and resilient agricultural sector while recognising the critical role women play across the agri-food value chain.
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