ZenToks Publication

Chapter 9

Extension and Advisory Services Strategies to Address Gender Issues

Abstract/Preface

This paper explores how agricultural extension and advisory services can better address gender issues in India. Women make up around 64 per cent of India’s agricultural workforce and perform most farming tasks from planting to harvesting, yet they remain underrepresented in training, decision making, and access to information. Although about 73 per cent of rural women are engaged in agriculture, only around 12 to 14 per cent own agricultural land, limiting their eligibility for institutional support and extension schemes. Barriers such as social norms, insecure land rights, limited mobility, and the digital divide continue to restrict women’s participation. The paper reviews these challenges and examines strategies used globally and within India to make extension more inclusive. Particular attention is given to the ICAR Gender Strategy for the National Agricultural Research, Education and Extension System (NAREES), which provides a national framework to engage women more effectively in research, training, and farm advisory programmes. It highlights the importance of capacity building, digital inclusion, participatory approaches, and support for women’s enterprises. The study concludes that extension systems must not only reach women but also empower them as active participants and leaders in agriculture. When gender equality is integrated into every stage of planning and implementation, extension services can contribute to more productive and equitable farming communities.