THE GROWTH OF FEMALE AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS IN INDIA: AN ANALYSIS

Abstract

Agriculture plays a vital role in India's economy 54.6. percent of the total work force in the country is engaged in agricultural 1 and allied sector activities . Agriculture in India denes familial tradition, social relations and gender roles. Female in the agricultural sector, whether through traditional means or industrial, for subsistence or as an agricultural labourer, represents a momentous demographic group. Agricultural sector employs 80 percent of all economically active women comprising 33 percent of the agricultures in the country. Agriculture, the single largest production endeavour in India 2 is contributing substantially to the GDP . As per the provisional estimates of national income released by CSO on th 29 May 2020, the share of agriculture and allied sectors in Gross Value Added (GVA) of the country at current prices is 17.8 percent for the year 2019-20. The share of agriculture and allied sectors in GVA of the country has declined from 18.2 percent in 2014-15 to 17.8 percent in 2019-20, an inevitable outcome of a development process in which the relative performance of non-agricultural sectors becomes mole 3 dominant . Within the agriculture sector, the share of crops has fallen from 11.2 percent in 2014-15 to 9.4 percent in 2018-19. The decline in the share of crops has been made up by an 4 increase in the share of livestock and sheries sectors . Given the importance of the agricultural sector, the Government of India has taken several steps for its development in a sustained manner.