The Silent Breadwinners of Rural India: Recognizing the Labour of Tribal Women

In the forested hills of Koraput, Odisha, the quiet strength of tribal women powers entire communities. Every morning, they rise before dawn, pool their resources, and squeeze into shared auto-rickshaws, sacks of vegetables and forest produce in tow. Their destination: local markets where they spend the day selling what they’ve gathered or grown. After long hours of labour, they often return with earnings barely enough to cover the cost of transport. And yet, they do it all again the next day.

This daily hustle reflects a deeper, systemic issue. While policy conversations often circle around infrastructure, employment, or agriculture, they rarely center the lived realities of Adivasi women. In many tribal homes, women are the primary earners, not by choice but by necessity. And yet, their work remains invisible—unacknowledged in both policy documents and public discourse.

Unlike men, who are more likely to access formal employment or work in government schemes, tribal women remain confined to the informal economy. They sell seasonal produce, participate in self-help groups, or work as daily-wage agricultural labourers—jobs that offer no security, benefits, or recognition. After returning from the market, their work doesn’t stop. They step into their second shift: cooking, cleaning, and caregiving.

Still, there is power in their persistence. Traveling together is more than a matter of convenience—it is an act of resilience. The cramped ride to market becomes a mobile support system where women share advice, laughter, worries, and wisdom. Their collective strength fills the gaps left by an indifferent system.

Yet, they face major challenges: exploitative pricing, high transportation costs, limited access to credit, and exclusion from decision-making in market spaces. These are not just logistical issues—they are structural injustices that perpetuate economic inequality and gendered marginalisation.

Real support for tribal women must move far beyond symbolic gestures or short-term projects. It demands deep, structural policy changes that address the unique challenges these women face in their daily lives and livelihoods. For starters, subsidised transport would dramatically improve access to markets, allowing women vendors to sell their goods more easily and safely without bearing the full cost or risk of travel. Equally vital are targeted rural credit schemes designed specifically for tribal women, offering them affordable financial resources to grow their businesses, invest in equipment, and build sustainable income streams.

Training programs tailored to market practices—such as pricing strategies, quality control, and customer engagement—would empower tribal women with the skills and confidence needed to compete fairly and thrive. Beyond these practical measures, there must be a fundamental shift in how informal labor, often dismissed as “unorganized” or “unskilled,” is valued by policymakers, institutions, and society. Tribal women’s work in agriculture, handicrafts, and local trade is not only skilled but essential to the health of rural economies; recognizing this can lead to better protections, fairer wages, and greater respect.

But perhaps most importantly, any effective support must be rooted in genuine listening and learning from the lived experiences of tribal women themselves. They know their realities better than anyone else, and their insights are critical for shaping programs and policies that truly meet their needs and aspirations.

Across India—from the dense forests of Koraput to the hills of Chhattisgarh, from the mineral-rich lands of Jharkhand to the vibrant communities of the Northeast—tribal women are not passive victims waiting for rescue. They are the backbone of their families and communities, tirelessly balancing roles as caregivers, breadwinners, and cultural custodians. They manage farms, run markets, preserve traditional knowledge, and navigate the complexities of rural economies with resilience and ingenuity.

It is high time that India recognizes tribal women not just as beneficiaries of aid, but as essential, capable leaders central to the country’s rural economy and social fabric. Supporting them with meaningful policies and respect is not charity—it is an investment in India’s future, one that promises stronger communities, sustainable development, and more inclusive growth for all.

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