AIC Introduces Krishi Sakhi Initiative to Empower India’s Women Farmers

Agriculture Insurance Company launches the ‘Krishi Sakhi Initiative’ to support women farmers through financial inclusion, crop insurance access, and rural leadership development.

The Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited (AIC), a government-owned agricultural insurer has introduced the 'Krishi Sakhi Initiative', a nationwide campaign aimed at empowering women farmers and promoting inclusive agricultural growth, in accordance with the United Nations' declaration of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, led by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

This program aims to increase rural women's responsibilities in agriculture by promoting financial inclusion, expanding access to crop insurance, and offering training. In order to promote leadership at the local level, the campaign celebrates "Women Farmer of the Year" and emphasizes the contributions of rural women. By improving the social and economic standing of female farmers, the program hopes to promote a more diverse agricultural environment.

An estimated 33% of farmers in India are women, and many more of them labor in related fields including post-harvest processing, seed preservation, and animal management. Despite their efforts, there is still a lack of institutional support, financial services, and insurance awareness.

The Krishi Sakhi Initiative aims to close this gap by raising knowledge of crop insurance programs, improving women's involvement in risk mitigation initiatives, encouraging financial inclusion in rural agricultural areas, and developing capacity through focused engagement and training. To formally promote the program, a digital campaign that included the distribution of an introductory video on social media channels was used. The campaign's main goals were raising awareness and putting women farmers at the forefront of India's agricultural sector.

AIC hopes to raise long-term awareness, promote women's involvement in agriculture and crop insurance, and recognize their contributions towards strengthening India's agricultural industry through these planned monthly events held at its Head Office and Regional Offices.