Special schemes will also be introduced to support women in activities such as paddy cultivation, vegetable and fruit farming

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K K Mustafah

Kerala will prepare a comprehensive plan to transform women farmers into a key force in the State’s agriculture sector by identifying both existing and potential women farmers in every panchayat.The initiative aims to integrate women across the entire agricultural value chain—from production to processing and distribution—through a structured programme, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said in his policy address to the 16th Legislative Assembly.A Women Farmers Consortium will be launched this year to mobilize lakhs of individual women farmers as well as small and large collectives into the sector. Special schemes will also be introduced to support women in activities such as paddy cultivation, vegetable and fruit farming, pulses, tuber crops, mushroom cultivation and beekeeping.Fair PricesThe Governor said agriculture remains a top priority for the government, even as farmers face multiple challenges including rising input costs, price fluctuations, climate uncertainty, wildlife attacks, fragmented landholdings, poor irrigation coverage, land fallowing, low mechanization and climate-induced disasters. The UDF government, he said, is committed to addressing these issues urgently.Measures will be taken to improve farm incomes, strengthen procurement systems, revise floor prices and ensure timely and fair prices for crops such as paddy, coconut, rubber and others.Special attention will be given to farmers in high-range and wildlife-affected areas, with stronger compensation and preventive systems to reduce human–wildlife conflict.Farmer IncomesThe government will also promote modern technology to enhance productivity, reduce costs and encourage mechanization and secondary agriculture. Focus areas will include diversification, farmer producer organizations, food processing, modern storage, value-added agro-industries, organic farming and agri-entrepreneurship among youth.Spice development will be strengthened through area-specific export-oriented programmes, along with the promotion of spice parks and procurement hubs via public-private partnerships, aimed at increasing production, productivity and farmer incomes.Published on May 29, 2026