A group of women has found an unexpected path to earn an income and some independence: operating drones for agricultural uses such as crop spraying.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government launched the so-called “Drone Didi” or “Drone Sisters” initiative in 2023 and so far 500 drones have been distributed, the Agriculture Ministry said in parliament in December.
The programme equips women-led self-help groups with drones to provide agricultural services, aiming to empower them and enhance agricultural efficiency. It has a target of distributing 15,000 such devices.
