In rural India, women have always been the backbone of agriculture – sowing, harvesting, and managing household responsibilities. Yet, their contributions have often been overlooked in decision-making, financial planning, and leadership. At the Centre for Collective Development (CCD), we believe that empowering women farmers isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s the smartest way to strengthen rural economies.

The Untapped Potential of Women Farmers

Across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, many women actively participate in farming but rarely have ownership of land or direct access to markets. Without these, they face limited bargaining power, income control, and representation. CCD’s cooperative model is designed to change that – putting women at the centre of agricultural decision-making.

The CCD Approach to Women’s Empowerment

  • Inclusive Cooperative Membership – Women are encouraged and supported to become registered members of local farmer cooperatives.
  • Leadership Training – From financial literacy to conflict resolution, women receive capacity-building workshops to take on leadership roles.
  • Income Control – Cooperative systems ensure that women’s earnings are routed directly to their accounts, giving them autonomy over spending.
  • Skill Upgradation – Exposure visits, market interaction, and processing training help women diversify their income sources.

Impact at Scale

Since March 2021:

  • 80% of farmers engaged in CCD water rejuvenation projects are women
  • Over 45,000 women farmers reached through cooperative initiatives across four states
  • Women-led cooperatives are managing processing units, from dal mills to ginning factories, increasing value addition at the local level
  • Women leaders now serve as board members in several cooperatives, influencing policy and pricing decisions

Stories of Change

In Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, a women-led cooperative took over the management of a cotton ginning unit. Within two years, they doubled the unit’s profitability by improving efficiency and negotiating better rates with buyers. The additional income has been reinvested into children’s education, home improvements, and healthcare.

Why It Works

By giving women a formal stake in cooperatives, CCD ensures that profits and decision-making power stay within the community. Women, when empowered, are more likely to invest in family well-being, education, and sustainable farming creating a long-term impact far beyond a single harvest.

The Road Ahead

CCD aims to onboard thousands more women farmers into cooperatives each year, ensuring they are not just participants but leaders in shaping the future of rural agriculture.