Within agriculture, it is the dairy sector where women farmers are at the forefront. Women handle everything, right from bathing, cleaning, and feeding to milking the cows and buffaloes. Even the sale of milk at the village cooperative society is increasingly being done by women members. For them, milk is a source of empowerment, especially when payments are made directly into their bank accounts.

  In this issue of Rural World, we are highlighting yet another positive development linked to dairying: the rise of women in the provision of veterinary care and services. When dairy farmers are overwhelmingly women, and milch animals are entirely female, why shouldn't veterinary doctors or AI technicians also be women? The state that has taken the lead is ironically a state traditionally viewed as male-dominated: Haryana. But as the cover story of this issue shows, women veterinarians, just like the state's sherni wrestlers from Vinesh Phoghat and Sakshi Malik who have brought laurels to the country, are increasingly challenging notions of a society steeped in patriarchy.

  Similarly, a silent revolution in the poultry sector has given rise to a broiler market valued at about Rs 2.5 lakh crore. This major development has been detailed in this issue in the ground report from the villages of Rajnandgaon district in Chhattisgarh. The creation of this substantial market is attributed to a combination of factors: investment, technology, research, contract farming, and strategic marketing. Thousands of farmers across the country are now earning higher incomes with reduced risks through contract farming. Notably, this success story has been achieved without relying on subsidies. The innovative business model employed by young farmers and ABIS, a poultry integrator from Rajnandgaon’s IB Group, has been pivotal. By implementing environmentally controlled and open farms nationwide, this model has contributed to the rapid organization and success of the poultry industry. Following the triumph of backward integration, the sector is now progressing towards forward integration, similar to the advancements seen in the dairy industry.

  Changes are also apparent in the agriculture budget. On July 23, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 in Parliament. It was the first Budget of the NDA government’s third term under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Expectations ran high that there would be significant announcements regarding the agriculture sector, reflecting the government’s vision and policies for rural India over the next five years. However, the Budget fell short of these expectations. Despite agriculture being highlighted as a crucial growth engine for the economy in the Economic Survey, which was presented a day before the Budget, the actual Budget provisions did not match this emphasis. The Budget did not have any major schemes or significant increases in allocations for agriculture.

  Our Budget Story aims to dissect its provisions, explaining their implications for agriculture and farmers. This issue of Rural World also has insights from former Agriculture and Food Secretary T. Nandkumar, who offers a perspective on the steps necessary for agricultural advancement. Besides, former IAS officer Pravesh Sharma, who served as the Agriculture Secretary of Madhya Pradesh and who was the first head of the Small Farmer Agribusiness Consortium in the Ministry of Agriculture, also provides an assessment of the Budget. He discusses the provisions needed to support farmers and enhance agricultural productivity.

  As always, this issue of Rural World continues to address ongoing developments, policy changes, and technological advancements related to agriculture, farmers, and the rural economy. Our coverage includes detailed analyses of how these changes are shaping the future of agriculture and rural life in India.