ShodhPatra: International Journal of Science and Humanities

India’s Labour, Gender and Employment trend in Agriculture Sector

The discovery of agriculture marked the beginning of a civilized life, and from independence to now, agriculture has played an indispensable role in the Indian economy, as it is the backbone of various sectors. Indian agriculture sector growth is needed for India’s economic growth. India has 60% of its land in agriculture. Globally, agriculture employed 916 million people, that is 26.1% of the total workforce in 2023 (according to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)). According to the World Bank, India’s total labour workforce was estimated at 593.73 million in 2023, in which agriculture accounted 45.76% and agriculture, forestry and fishing (primary sector) contributed 16.4% in India’s GVA. Since 1991 to 2023 total employment in agriculture was decline 19.85%-point, female employment in agriculture also decline 16.05% point with male employment 21.95% point. But the female employment is more than male employment since 1991 to 2023. The research paper is based on the secondary data. The data has been taken from the related reports (World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers, Economic survey and official websites, etc.). It also shows the long-run analysis that is more than three decades. A research paper concludes that in the process of economic growth, from developing to develop nations, it is a normal phenomenon that employment shifted from agriculture sector to industrial and service sector. Despite agriculture is facing burden of labour workforce in the past decades, it gradually shifts from primary sector to secondary and tertiary sector.