Women entrepreneurship in agriculture in India is supported by several key institutional frameworks and policies designed to empower women economically and socially. One of the significant initiatives is the Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP), a sub-component of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM). MKSP specifically focuses on strengthening the role of women in agriculture by enhancing their skills, improving access to resources, promoting sustainable farming practices, and enabling them to participate in collective farming initiatives. This program is instrumental in recognizing women not just as labourers but as primary cultivators and decision-makers in agriculture.

The National Policy for Farmers (NPF), 2007, also provides a broad policy framework that acknowledges the crucial role of women in agriculture. It emphasizes equitable access for women to land, credit, technology, and markets, along with gender-sensitive capacity building and extension services. Similarly, the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)—translated as the National Agriculture Development Programme—allocates funds to states for boosting agricultural growth. It provides scope for encouraging women-led agribusinesses and startups through state-level investments in infrastructure and capacity building.

The Support to Training and Employment Program for Women (STEP) is another central scheme that aims to provide skills and employment opportunities for women in various sectors, including agriculture, horticulture, and dairy. This program helps women acquire entrepreneurial skills and establish sustainable livelihoods. In terms of credit facilitation, the Stand-Up India Scheme plays a vital role by providing bank loans ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore to women, as well as Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) entrepreneurs, for establishing greenfield enterprises, including those in agriculture and allied sectors.

For promoting value addition and formalization in agro-processing, the Prime Minister’s Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM-FME) Scheme offers technical, financial, and marketing support to micro-entrepreneurs, with a focus on women and marginalized communities. Additionally, the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) enhances agricultural extension services by facilitating farmer-centric technology dissemination. ATMA includes dedicated efforts to ensure the participation of women farmers in training programs, technology adoption, and advisory services.

Furthermore, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)—meaning Farm Science Centers—are instrumental at the grassroots level in training women farmers and disseminating innovative agricultural technologies. The government's commitment to gender budgeting ensures that a specific portion of the budget is allocated for women’s empowerment, including in agriculture. The Startup India initiative and the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under NITI Aayog also support women entrepreneurs by providing incubation, mentorship, and funding, particularly encouraging women-led agritech startups.

Despite these institutional supports, challenges remain in terms of access, awareness, and the socio-cultural barriers that limit women’s participation in entrepreneurship. Many rural women are still unaware of these schemes, and formal credit remains difficult to obtain due to a lack of collateral and procedural complexities. Strengthening gender-sensitive extension services, improving digital literacy, and ensuring market linkages are critical steps needed to enhance the impact of these policies. These frameworks collectively aim to create a more inclusive and supportive ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector.

Across India, several region-specific examples highlight the progress and challenges of women entrepreneurship in agriculture. In Odisha, particularly in Koraput, Kandhamal, and Mayurbhanj, women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) have successfully adopted organic farming, millet production, and the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). These initiatives have enhanced both incomes and food security, yet limited credit access and underdeveloped infrastructure still pose hurdles for scaling these efforts.

Similarly, in Madhya Pradesh’s tribal districts like Dindori, Mandla, and Betul, MKSP and National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) interventions have promoted lac cultivation, collection of minor forest produce (MFP), and organic farming among women collectives. While some cooperatives have accessed local and even export markets, weak market linkages, poor transport facilities, and unstable prices hinder consistent growth.

In Jharkhand’s districts of Gumla, Simdega, and Khunti, tribal women farmers organized through MKSP and Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) have engaged in poultry farming, tasar silk production, and vegetable cultivation. Although success stories emerge, remoteness, socio-cultural constraints, and limited infrastructure continue to restrict broader participation.

In the drought-prone regions of Vidarbha and Marathwada in Maharashtra, women entrepreneurs have initiated agro-processing, food preservation, and collective farming under schemes like Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and the Prime Minister’s Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM-FME). However, water scarcity, credit bottlenecks, and the risks posed by climate change threaten the sustainability of these ventures.

Kerala presents a more structured model through Kudumbashree, particularly in Wayanad and Palakkad, where women collectives engage in organic farming, value addition of agricultural products, and homestead farming. State support has enabled the development of micro-enterprises, but challenges like limited capital and competitive branding still impede expansion to larger markets.

In North-East India, particularly Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur, women entrepreneurs are engaged in sericulture, horticulture of fruits like pineapple, kiwi, and oranges, and organic tea production. Supported by Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) and local schemes, these ventures hold significant potential. Yet, inadequate connectivity, transport logistics, and market access remain persistent barriers.

Despite these region-specific efforts, common challenges persist across India: awareness gaps about schemes, gender-insensitive extension services, limited financial literacy, and poor post-harvest infrastructure. Although these schemes are theoretically robust and fascinating, their real-world impact at the grassroots is constrained. Many rural women remain unaware of these opportunities due to low literacy, poor information dissemination, and digital divides. Even when aware, bureaucratic hurdles, collateral requirements for loans, and cultural biases within extension systems prevent effective participation. Moreover, lack of market linkages, infrastructure, and post-training support often hinders the sustainability of women-led enterprises.

Therefore, while the institutional frameworks are progressive in design, effective on-ground implementation, localized support systems, and gender-sensitive policy interventions are essential for genuinely empowering women entrepreneurs in agriculture. Enhanced convergence between policies, civil society efforts, and digital inclusion will be key to bridging these gaps and driving sustainable rural development.