Assessing the existing policies and schemes in India’s Food, Land & Water (FLW) sector from a gender perspective

Abstract

Climate change poses a significant threat to agri-food systems. However, individuals involved in agriculture, particularly women and marginalized communities, bear a disproportionate burden of the climate’s unpredictability. This disparity arises from existing structural inequalities, such as women having limited access to resources; unequal sharing of agricultural and household responsibilities; lack of decision-making power; insufficient availability of nutritious food, leading to malnutrition and food insecurity; and heightened vulnerability to climate-related stresses. It is crucial to address these disparities by promoting genderresponsive policies that ensure equal opportunities for women and marginalized communities. This paper examines the policies and schemes at the central level in India within the food, land and water (FLW) sector, aiming to understand the extent to which current policies support gender-transformative efforts, and aiming to identify existing gaps. Additionally, we analyze the allocation of budgets for women and marginalized communities in these policies to identify specific ways in which gender budgeting is implemented for centrallevel policies. Furthermore, we highlight the necessity of improved accounting and meeting budget targets across various schemes that benefit women and marginalized groups.