NEW DELHI: More women are getting into farming in India, with the latest Agriculture Census showing a rise in the percentage of female farmers. The number of small and medium land holding and that of farmers and tillers too have increased in the country.
New Delhi: More women are getting into farming in India, with the latest Agriculture Census showing a rise in the percentage of female farmers. The number of small and medium land holding and that of farmers and tillers too have increased in the country.
Uttar Pradesh is home to the largest number of people tilling land, followed by Bihar and Maharashtra, according to the 2015-16 Agriculture Census.
As much as 86.21% of India's cultivated farmland is held by small and marginal farmers with less than two hectares of land, while those with 10 hectares and more account for just 0.57%. The average size of agriculture landholding declined to 1.08 hectare in 2015-16 from 1.15 hectare in 2010-11.
The share of small and marginal farmers in total operational area — both cultivated and uncultivated areas — was 47.34%, up from 44.31% five years earlier, a government statement said on Monday.
The individual, joint and institutional holdings have shown growth of 5.04%, 7.07% and 10.88%, respectively, over previous census, it said.
Uttar Pradesh had 23.82 million farmers and tillers in 2015-16, followed by Bihar at 16.41 million and Maharashtra with 14.71 million.
The average size of farm holding was the highest in Nagaland at 5.06 hectares and the lowest in Kerala at 0.18 hectare.
The percentage of female operational land holders increased from 12.79% in 2010-11 to 13.87% in 2015-16. The corresponding figures are 10.36% and 11.57% in operated area.
Agriculture Census in India is conducted at five-year intervals to collect data on structural aspects of farm holdings. It is carried in three phases: first on primary subjects like the numbers and area of operational holdings, followed by a detailed one based on samples from 20% of villages in each tehsil on land use, irrigation status, tenancy particulars, and finally on pattern of input use.