India, Sept. 15 -- Traditionally viewed as a legacy profession, farming is now emerging as India's next growth engine. The country is building a new agricultural ecosystem-one that restores dignity to farmers, opens doors for women agri-entrepreneurs, and invites youth back to the soil with innovation in their hands and aspiration in their hearts.

The UN's declaration of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer is more than symbolic-it is both a moral responsibility and an economic opportunity. Indian women have long been the invisible backbone of agriculture. Today, they are stepping into leadership roles: heading FPOs in Maharashtra and Telangana, adopting climate-smart practices in Rajasthan, and pioneering organic farming i...