The impact of all this is visible in some of the villages. "Women are far more visible on the farms today than they were in the past," says Sivakumar.

The impact of all this is visible in some of the villages. "Women are far more visible on the farms today than they were in the past," says Sivakumar. They are also visible in jobs that were primarily a man's domain earlier, like spraying, harvesting etc, he adds. Also, it is not unusual to see a few retail shops in villages managed by women - a rarity in the past.