Government program trains women to operate drones, revolutionizing farming and social norms

In an inspiring leap towards modernizing agriculture and empowering women, India has embarked on a transformative journey with the “Drone Sister” program. This government-backed initiative is training hundreds of women, including former housewives like Sharmila Yadav, to pilot heavy-duty drones for fertilizing the country’s farmlands.

At 35, Yadav represents the changing face of rural India, transitioning from a homemaker to a remote pilot, flying drones over fields and dreaming of the skies. The program not only aims to enhance agricultural efficiency by reducing labour costs and conserving resources but also to challenge and change societal attitudes towards working women in rural areas.

Yadav’s story is a testament to this shift. Previously confined to domestic duties in a society where working women were often stigmatized, she now proudly earns a substantial income through her newfound skill. Flying drones has not just provided her with financial independence but has also fulfilled her lifelong dream of piloting, bringing her a sense of pride and achievement.

The initiative is spearheaded by the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), which trained the first batch of 300 women, including Yadav. These “drone sisters” receive free 30kg drones and battery-operated vehicles for transportation, setting them on a path of rural entrepreneurship and empowerment.

With ambitious plans to expand the program to train 15,000 women across India, the scheme addresses the glaring gender gap in the formal rural workforce, where only a little over 41 percent of women participate, compared to 80 percent of men.

Yogendra Kumar, IFFCO’s marketing director, emphasizes that the program is about more than employment. It represents empowerment and the fostering of rural entrepreneurship, marking a significant step forward in both agricultural innovation and social reform.

This movement is reshaping rural India’s landscape, proving that with the right opportunities, women can not only participate in but also lead in sectors traditionally dominated by men. As these “drone sisters” take to the skies, they sow seeds of change, transforming both the land below and the societal norms that once held them back.