Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday, 16 October 2026, called for formal recognition of women who work in agricultural fields as farmers, arguing that contribution to farming — not merely land ownership — should determine who qualifies for that status. He made the remarks while addressing a programme marking Women Farmers' Day in Sanchi, his parliamentary constituency in Madhya Pradesh.

What Chouhan Said on Women Farmers

Chouhan highlighted that women make significant contributions across crop cultivation, animal husbandry, milk production, and livestock care, yet their work frequently goes unrecognised in formal agricultural records. 'Women who work in the fields with their own hands are women farmers. We will make every effort to ensure that they receive formal recognition,' he said, addressing the gathering.

He further stated that agriculture extends well beyond crop production — encompassing horticulture, fisheries, poultry farming, and animal husbandry — with women playing a central role across each of these activities. He committed to raising the issue on appropriate platforms to secure recognition and respect for women farmers.

Pilot Livelihood Initiative for Raisen and Vidisha Districts

The minister announced a pilot initiative in Raisen and Vidisha districts aimed at connecting every family in every village with at least one sustainable source of livelihood, with the stated goal of making villages poverty-free. The programme will focus on agriculture, processing of farm produce, animal husbandry, goat rearing, fisheries, and small businesses.

'Poverty can be eradicated by connecting families with employment and income-generating opportunities,' Chouhan said, stressing that sustainable income creation — rather than reliance on financial assistance alone — must drive rural development policy.

Push for Rural Agri-Entrepreneurship

Chouhan urged women farmers to explore entrepreneurship through small-scale processing units and rural enterprises. He specifically suggested setting up pulse mills in pulse-growing regions, along with oil-processing units and facilities to manufacture products such as tomato ketchup. He said efforts would be made to provide women with training, machinery, and technical assistance to help establish such units and add value to agricultural produce.

On access to finance, he said steps would be taken to facilitate loans requiring little or no collateral for women. He also highlighted the need to promote women-led Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), provide technical support, and ensure access to agricultural schemes and procurement opportunities.

Infrastructure and Housing Announcements

During his visit, Chouhan laid the foundation stones for 46 roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, aimed at improving rural connectivity in the region. He emphasised that construction quality must be maintained alongside timely delivery.

On housing, he said providing permanent homes to poor families remains a priority. He noted that 3,081 houses were sanctioned in the Sanchi Assembly constituency in 2025-26 and 5,035 in 2024-25. An additional 218 houses were sanctioned under the PM JANMAN scheme and 246 under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan. A recent survey reportedly identified the need for 22,477 additional houses in the constituency, with the minister committing to assist eligible families living in kutcha houses.

Chouhan's remarks on Women Farmers' Day add fresh momentum to a long-pending policy debate over whether India's agricultural support framework should shift from land-title-based eligibility to contribution-based recognition — a change that could potentially benefit millions of women cultivators who currently lack formal farmer status.