Will This Farm Bill Change Women's Lives? | In Focus Podcast

By The Hindu

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Maharashtra has become the first state in India to bring about a legislation for the empowerment of women farmers. The Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026, has been passed by both the Houses. It gives a broader definition of women farmers and de-links agricultural identity from land ownership. But while the Bill claims to address decades of systemic economic exclusion of women, it leaves questions about why women's inclusion in land records was not incentivised through the legislation. Chennai-based MS Swaminathan Research Foundation played a pivotal role in shaping and advocating for this legislation. In this episode, we discuss what the Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026, means for women farmers, the changes it introduces, and the challenges that still remain. Guest: Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) Host: Vinaya Deshpande, Maharashtra Chief of Bureau, The Hindu Producer and editor: Jude Weston

Tags: the hindu, the hindu news, the hindu latest news, the hindu updates, Maharashtra Farm Bill, women farmers, women farmers India, Maharashtra, agriculture, Indian agriculture, farm laws, women in farming, land ownership, women empowerment, farming policy, agriculture policy, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, MSSRF, Soumya Swaminathan, In Focus podcast