Deepikaben Rathva stood in her parched Gujarat field, the cracked earth beneath her feet a stark reminder of the May 2024 heatwave that had burned her crops to dust. But this time instead of falling into debt or desperation, her mobile phone buzzed a message from the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) confirmed that an insurance payout had arrived. She hadn’t even filed a claim.
For millions of women farmers in India, climate change is more than a crisis it’s a battle for survival. Limited land rights, smaller plots, and restricted financial access leave them especially vulnerable. A 2024 FAO report reveals that female-headed households lose 8% more income to heat stress than male-headed ones. If global temperatures rise by 1°C, their earnings could drop 34% more than their male counterparts.
Without financial safety nets, women farmers often resort to high-interest loans or unpaid labor. SEWA, India’s largest informal women workers’ union, is working to change that through parametric insurance, which offers automatic payouts when extreme weather conditions are met no claims, no delays.
Parametric Insurance: A Lifeline for Women Farmers
Launched in 2023 with Arsht-Rock, SEWA’s climate insurance expanded in 2024 with support from Climate Resilience for All. The program now covers 50,000 women across 22 districts in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra.
Women pay INR 250 ($3) annually.
When temperatures exceed 40°C for two days, all insured women automatically receive INR 400 ($4.80). In 2024 alone INR 2.92 crore ($350,859) was disbursed, helping women replace crops buy fodder, and recover without debt.
For farmers like Rekhaben, the insurance meant not having to sell her goats after her fodder crop failed. “My decision no need to ask my husband or in-laws,” she says.
SEWA now plans to scale up the initiative into a Livelihood Recovery and Resilience Fund (LRRF), offering Low-cost credit & emergency grants for faster recovery. Climate adaptation financing to invest in drought-resistant seeds and tools. Digital payment solut ions for faster, direct financial access.
Financial Tools for Women = Climate Resilience
Programs like SEWA’s show that climate justice is also financial justice. Women farmers are not just victims of climate change they can be leaders in resilience, given the right tools. Every payout, every saved asset, and every decision they make strengthens their power to shape their future.