Understanding Women’s Land Insecurities

Attempting to understand women’s right to the land they cultivate and work on, this article shares the processes, methodologies and main findings of an intensive study so as to understand key land insecurity issues as well as perceptions about women’s right to inheriting land

R ayagada district was carved out in 1992 from the erstwhile Koraput district, a southern district of Odisha. The district is mostly inhabited by tribals (56 per cent). Of this, the Khond (71.09 per cent), the Saora (11.55 per cent) and the Shabar (7.17 per cent) are the largest tribal groups. Landlessness is a common feature in Rayagada. Nearly 39 per cent of the households are landless. Those who are landed live with issues of land insecurity.

The issues of land are multi-layered. Some have land in their possession but do not have the legal documents; some have the legal documents but the land is in the possession of and is being cultivated by others. Many families survive by encroaching on government-owned land, without the legal right to do so. Forest dwellers do not have legal rights to the land that they have been cultivating for generations. People are not aware of their land rights and there are no legal services available for the poor.

Landless women are largely wage labourers and are excluded from social mobilization activities. SHGs are not at all an interesting entry point for them. What could possibly be the future of these landless families? How can they rise from their cycle of poverty? How can their land insecurity issues be addressed?