The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh is organising a landmark women's conclave in New Delhi to champion the crucial role of women farmers in Indian agriculture and advocate for their enhanced participation in policy decisions, alongside proposing significant reforms to the Minimum Support Price mechanism.
Key Points
- Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) is organising its first women's conclave to advocate for greater representation of women farmers in agricultural policymaking.
- The conclave will highlight women's significant contributions to farming, animal husbandry, and fisheries, where they perform 60-80% of tasks.
- BKS proposes farmers should sell produce at Maximum Retail Price (MRP) instead of Minimum Support Price (MSP), arguing the current MSP system is inadequate.
- The organisation also seeks a "cooling-off period" for farmers during price surges and improved mandi systems for better market access.
- The event aims to build confidence among women farmers, encourage their participation in policy decisions, and promote natural farming and seed conservation.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh affiliate Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) will hold its first-ever women's conclave in New Delhi on September 30, seeking greater representation for women farmers in agricultural policymaking and highlighting their contribution to farming, livestock and fisheries, a senior office-bearer said on Monday.
The All India Women Farmer Workers Conclave will be held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium and will bring together around 7,000 women farmers and office-bearers from across the country, BKS national general secretary Mohini Mohan Mishra said at a press conference.
"Women have a major participation in farming, animal husbandry and fisheries, but when policy decisions are taken, their participation is not visible," Mishra said.
Empowering Women In Agriculture
The BKS has around 50 lakh members, including nearly seven lakh women, Mishra said, adding that the September 30 programme will focus on women's contribution to agriculture, their participation in policymaking, natural and organic farming, seed conservation, animal husbandry, employment generation and food processing.
"Women undertake 60 to 80 percent of agricultural tasks such as sowing, transplanting, harvesting, weed control and animal husbandry," Mishra said, describing them as the "backbone" of agriculture.
BKS all-India women's coordinator Manju Dikshit said the programme will seek to build confidence among women farmers and encourage them to participate in policy decisions affecting agriculture.
Selected women farmers from across the country will be felicitated for their work in areas including cow-based agriculture and commerce, organic farming, seed conservation, animal husbandry, employment generation and food processing, the organisation said.
The BKS said women play an important role in preserving traditional agricultural knowledge, indigenous seeds and biodiversity, besides strengthening family incomes through agriculture, dairy production and rural handicrafts.
The organisation also said women are playing a leading role in implementing its concept of "Gau Krishi Vanijyam" (cow-based agriculture and commerce) and promoting chemical-free and natural farming.
Recognising Women Farmers' Contributions
Mishra said the organisation will also raise issues concerning women farmers' access to government schemes and their representation in institutions involved in agricultural policymaking.
The programme is being organised in the backdrop of the United Nations' declaration of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Dikshit said the event is aimed at establishing the identity and prestige of women as farmers and highlighting the challenges faced by them in agricultural work.
BKS Calls For MSP Reform And Market Changes
Responding to a query, Mishra said farmers should be able to sell their produce at the maximum retail price (MRP) instead of relying on the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism, arguing that the existing system does not adequately remunerate cultivators.
Mishra reiterated the BKS' opposition to the MSP mechanism in its present form, saying the method of calculating it does not adequately reflect the costs borne by farmers and that agricultural input costs vary across states.
"Every product has an MRP. Why should farmers sell at the minimum support price? We want a system through which farmers get the MRP," Mishra said.
Ensuring Fair Prices And Market Access For Farmers
The farmers' organisation also sought a "cooling-off period" of 10-15 days when the price of a crop rises sharply, during which the government should refrain from measures such as imports or price controls to allow farmers to earn better returns.
"We are asking the government to give farmers a cooling-off period so that they can sell their produce. After that, the market can be controlled," he added.
The BKS leader said such a mechanism will ensure that farmers get remunerative prices while allowing the government to subsequently take measures to protect consumers and industries.
On agricultural markets, the organisation said the government should improve mandis and open up more avenues for farmers to sell their produce.
"We are saying openly that the government should improve the mandi system and open other markets as well," Mishra said.
