MAINS Current Affairs includes Rise in Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) & Regenerative Agriculture for a Resilient India

Economy

1. Rise in Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR)

Context: The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2025 indicates a significant rise in Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) since 2020, following the COVID-19 pandemic.

• For women aged 15 years and above, the FLFPR increased from 30% in 2019–20 to 40% in 2025.
• The rise has been particularly significant in rural areas.

About FLFPR

• Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) refers to the proportion of women of working age who are either:
  • Employed; or
  • Actively seeking employment.
• Between 2019–20 and 2025:
  • Rural FLFPR: increased from 33% to 45.9%.
  • Urban FLFPR: increased from 3% to 27.7%.
• Thus, the improvement has been considerably stronger in rural India than in urban areas.

State-wise Trends

• The Average Annual Percentage Point (AAPP) change measures the pace at which FLFPR has improved over time.
• Rural areas: West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Bihar, Rajasthan and Haryana recorded AAPP increases above the all-India rural average.
• Urban areas: Rajasthan and Gujarat recorded particularly strong improvements, while Uttarakhand, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Odisha, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh also recorded AAPP increases above the all-India urban average.
• However, AAPP should not be confused with the absolute level of FLFPR:
  • A State may have a relatively low AAPP because its FLFPR is already high.
  • Conversely, a State may record a high AAPP while still having relatively low overall female participation.

Factors Responsible for the Rise in FLFPR

1. Expansion of Self-Employment and Rural Livelihoods

• A considerable part of the increase is associated with greater participation in:
  • Self-employment;
  • Family enterprises; and
  • Agricultural activities.
• This trend has been particularly visible in rural India.

2. Growth of Women’s Self-Help Groups

• Programmes such as DAY-NRLM have expanded women’s access to:
  • Credit;
  • Skills;
  • Entrepreneurship; and
  • Diversified livelihood opportunities.
• SHGs have therefore emerged as an important platform for women’s economic participation.

3. Expansion of Employment Opportunities

• Growth in sectors such as:
  • Manufacturing;
  • Services;
  • Retail;
  • Education;
  • Healthcare; and
  • Other non-farm activities
    has created additional employment avenues for women.

4. Improvement in Education and Skills

• Rising educational attainment has improved women’s employability.
• Greater participation in skill-development programmes has also increased women’s ability and willingness to enter the labour market.

5. Changing Social Attitudes

• Growing awareness regarding:
  • Economic independence;
  • Financial autonomy; and
  • Women’s entrepreneurship
    is gradually challenging traditional gender roles.

6. Greater Economic Need

• For economically vulnerable rural households, women’s earnings can provide an important additional source of income and livelihood security.

7. Supportive Government Policies

• Government initiatives related to:
  • SHGs;
  • Skill development;
  • Entrepreneurship;
  • Financial inclusion; and
  • Rural livelihoods
    have helped reduce some barriers to women’s participation in economic activities.

Barriers to Women-Led Development

1. Gender Bias

• Social stereotypes continue to question women’s competence, leadership abilities and suitability for certain occupations.

2. Work–Life Balance

• Women often have to simultaneously manage professional responsibilities and traditional household roles.
• This can result in excessive work burdens and discourage sustained labour-market participation.

3. Harassment and Discrimination

• Workplace harassment and discriminatory practices can create unsafe working environments and discourage women from entering or remaining in employment.

4. Unequal Access to Education

• Limited access to quality education, particularly in rural areas, can restrict women’s future employment opportunities.

5. Economic Inequality

• Women continue to face challenges such as:
  • Wage gaps;
  • Limited employment opportunities; and
  • Unequal access to financial resources and economic decision-making.

6. Child Marriage

• Child marriage, particularly in some rural areas, can negatively affect women’s:
  • Education;
  • Health;
  • Economic autonomy; and
  • Labour-force participation.

Government Initiatives

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)

• Provides collateral-free micro-credit to support women in establishing small enterprises.
• It helps address the challenge of limited access to capital.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

• Seeks to address gender discrimination and promote the:
  • Education;
  • Health; and
  • Empowerment of girls.
• These measures can indirectly improve women’s future labour-force participation.

Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017

• Increased maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for eligible women working in establishments with more than 10 employees.
• It seeks to support women’s continued participation in employment after childbirth.

Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP)

• Developed by NITI Aayog, WEP supports women entrepreneurs through:
  • Mentorship;
  • Networking;
  • Funding opportunities; and
  • Skill development.

Self-Help Groups and National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM)

• NRLM promotes women’s SHGs, enabling rural women to access:
  • Credit;
  • Entrepreneurship training; and
  • Market opportunities.
• It strengthens collective economic participation and livelihood diversification.

National Creche Scheme

• Provides childcare support for working mothers, particularly women employed in the unorganised sector.
• Accessible childcare can reduce the burden of unpaid care work and facilitate women’s employment.

Mission Shakti

• A women-empowerment programme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• It focuses on strengthening women’s:
  • Welfare;
  • Safety; and
• The broader objective is to enable women to participate as equal partners in nation-building.

Way Forward

• Move from participation to quality employment: Rising FLFPR should translate into stable, productive, remunerative and secure jobs.
• Strengthen skilling: Align women’s skills with emerging sectors and local employment opportunities.
• Expand childcare infrastructure: Affordable and accessible childcare can reduce women’s unpaid-care burden.
• Ensure workplace safety: Effective implementation of safeguards against harassment and discrimination is essential.
• Reduce gender wage gaps: Equal pay and transparent employment practices should be promoted.
• Improve access to formal employment: Greater access to social security, insurance and maternity benefits can make women’s participation sustainable.
• Support women entrepreneurs: Improve access to credit, markets, technology, mentoring and business networks.
• Promote rural non-farm employment: Diversification beyond agriculture can create more stable employment opportunities for rural women.

Conclusion

• The rise in Female Labour Force Participation Rate represents an important shift towards greater economic empowerment and inclusive growth.
• However, the real challenge is to convert increased participation into quality, productive, remunerative and secure employment.
• Bridging gaps in wages, skills, childcare, workplace safety and access to formal employment can help India transform rising female participation into a sustained demographic and economic dividend.

Agriculture

2. Regenerative Agriculture for a Resilient India

Context: Regenerative agriculture is gaining importance as an approach to sustain long-term agricultural production, improve environmental health and enhance farm profitability.

• India’s agriculture and allied sectors recorded a decadal growth of 4.45% during FY16–FY25.
• However, intensive agricultural practices have contributed to:
  • Excessive use of chemicals;
  • Declining soil health;
  • Increasing input costs; and
  • Greater vulnerability to irregular rainfall and climate shocks.
• Regenerative agriculture can help restore soil health, strengthen ecosystem services, improve climate resilience and reduce dependence on external inputs.

What is Regenerative Agriculture?

• Regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach to farming that focuses on restoring:
  • Soil health;
  • Biodiversity; and
  • Ecological processes.
• Its broader objective is to ensure the long-term productivity and resilience of agricultural systems.
• Healthy soils can:
  • Support higher and more sustainable food production;
  • Improve nutrient availability;
  • Store more carbon; and
  • Provide habitats for diverse organisms.

Practices under Regenerative Agriculture

1. Micro-Irrigation

• Micro-irrigation systems such as:
  • Drip irrigation;
  • Sprinklers; and
  • Foggers
    deliver water closer to plant roots.
• This reduces water wastage and improves water-use efficiency.

2. Farm Mechanisation

• Use of agricultural machinery can improve the efficiency of farm operations.
• Appropriate mechanisation can optimise the use of:
  • Water;
  • Fuel; and
• This can reduce wastage and the agricultural carbon footprint.

3. Efficient Nitrogen Fertiliser Management

• Nitrogen fertilisers should be selected and applied:
  • At the appropriate time;
  • In the right quantity; and
  • According to crop requirements.
• Efficient nutrient management can reduce input wastage and environmental damage.

4. Natural Farming

• Natural farming is an approach based on indigenous knowledge and reduced dependence on synthetic chemicals.
• It uses biological preparations such as:
  • Beejamrut;
  • Jeevamrut;
  • GhanJeevamrut;
  • Neemastra; and
• These inputs are largely prepared using locally available biological resources.

5. Integrated Farming System (IFS)

• IFS integrates multiple farm activities within a single production system.
• It promotes practices such as:
  • Intercropping;
  • Crop rotation;
  • Multi-cropping; and
  • Mixed farming.
• This allows better utilisation of available resources and diversifies farm income.

6. Agroforestry

• Agroforestry combines trees with agricultural and plantation crops.
• It can create a more sustainable and diversified farming system while providing additional sources of income.

7. Climate-Resilient Agriculture

• Climate-resilient agriculture involves practices and technologies that improve the ability of agricultural systems to withstand:
  • Climate-related stresses;
  • Extreme weather events; and
  • Other environmental shocks.

Benefits of Regenerative Agriculture

1. Environmental Benefits

Soil Restoration

• Regenerative practices can improve:
  • Soil organic matter;
  • Soil structure; and
  • Long-term soil fertility.
• This supports sustained agricultural productivity.

Biodiversity Conservation

• Regenerative farming can support greater diversity of:
  • Pollinators;
  • Beneficial insects; and
  • Soil microorganisms.
• This strengthens ecological balance within agricultural landscapes.

Climate Change Mitigation

• Improved soil management can enhance carbon sequestration and reduce the carbon intensity of farming.
• Regenerative agriculture therefore complements the objectives of SDG 13 – Climate Action.

Water Efficiency

• Healthy soils have greater capacity to retain water.
• This can reduce:
  • Surface runoff;
  • Soil erosion; and
  • Movement of sediments and pollutants into rivers and lakes.

1. Economic and Social Benefits

Higher Farm Profitability

• Healthier soils can reduce dependence on:
  • Synthetic fertilisers;
  • Pesticides; and
  • Excessive irrigation.
• Lower input costs and more stable yields can improve farmers’ net returns.

Employment Generation

• Regenerative agriculture can create opportunities in:
  • Sustainable farming;
  • Agricultural advisory services;
  • Agri-technology; and
  • Ecological resource management.

Greater Resilience

• Diversified and ecologically healthier farms can be better positioned to withstand climate variability and market fluctuations.

Challenges

1. Transition Period and Temporary Yield Loss

• Restoration of soil biological processes takes time.
• During the transition, farmers may experience temporary reductions in yield before productivity improves.

2. High Initial Investment

• Practices such as no-till farming may require specialised equipment such as:
  • No-till seed drills; and
  • Rotational livestock fencing.
• High upfront costs can discourage small and marginal farmers.

3. Knowledge and Labour Gap

• Regenerative farming requires location-specific agronomic knowledge.
• Standardised chemical-based farming schedules cannot simply be replaced without understanding:
  • Crop diversity;
  • Local soil conditions; and
  • Appropriate crop and livestock rotations.

4. Policy and Certification Gaps

• Conventional chemical-intensive farming continues to dominate several commercial agricultural systems.
• Appropriate certification and policy frameworks for regenerative agriculture are still evolving.

Government Initiatives

National Mission for Natural Farming (NMNF)

• Announced in 2024, it seeks to create an enabling ecosystem for farmers transitioning towards natural farming.
• It provides an output-based incentive of ₹4,000 per acre per year for two years, subject to a maximum of one acre per farmer.
• It also envisages 10,000 Bio-input Resource Centres to improve farmers’ access to biological inputs such as Jeevamrit and Beejamrit.

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)

• Launched in 2015, PKVY is an important component of India’s efforts to promote organic farming.
• It encourages farmers to adopt environmentally sustainable agricultural practices.

Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)

• Implemented since 2015–16, PDMC promotes efficient water use through micro-irrigation, particularly:
  • Drip irrigation; and
  • Sprinkler irrigation.
• It aims to improve water-use efficiency in agriculture.

Rainfed Area Development Project (RADP)

• Implemented through an area-based cluster approach to promote Integrated Farming Systems.
• It encourages greater community participation and better utilisation of existing agricultural practices.
• Farmers are supported with ₹30,000 per family for adoption of IFS.
• Each cluster receives a ₹10,000 stipend for training and capacity-building activities.

Agroforestry Component under PM-RKVY

• The earlier Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF) was restructured as the Agroforestry Component under Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) from 2023–24.
• It promotes the establishment of agroforestry nurseries to supply quality planting material to farmers.

Soil Health Card Scheme

• Launched in 2015, the Soil Health Card Scheme provides farmers with plot-specific soil-test information.
• It enables farmers to make more scientific decisions regarding nutrient and fertiliser application.

Way Forward

• Promote soil-centric farming: Shift agricultural policy from input-intensive production towards long-term soil and ecosystem health.
• Support the transition period: Provide financial and technical assistance to farmers during the initial years when yields may temporarily decline.
• Strengthen extension services: Develop region-specific guidance on regenerative practices through Krishi Vigyan Kendras, agricultural universities and local institutions.
• Improve access to technology: Make equipment such as no-till seed drills and efficient irrigation systems affordable for small and marginal farmers.
• Expand market incentives: Develop reliable markets and price premiums for sustainably produced agricultural commodities.
• Strengthen research: Generate India-specific evidence on the productivity, profitability and climate benefits of regenerative farming across different agro-climatic regions.
• Integrate traditional and scientific knowledge: Combine indigenous agricultural practices with modern soil science, biotechnology and climate-smart technologies.

Conclusion

• Regenerative agriculture can help India move from an input-intensive agricultural model towards a resource-efficient and resilient farming system.
• By restoring soil health, conserving water, enhancing biodiversity and reducing input dependence, it can simultaneously advance farm profitability, environmental sustainability and climate resilience.
• For India, the transition should therefore focus not merely on increasing agricultural output, but on building productive, profitable and ecologically resilient farms for the long term.

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