Knowing, monitoring and even maneuvering food production are important components of food management. Advanced estimation of food production even while the crop is not harvested facilitates these functions. In India agriculture is an important sector providing inputs to industries, food to the people and livelihood to a large section of the population and the poor.

This paper argues for a broader definition of agriculture than mere production of crops, in which the women in farm families participate for greater value addition to agriculture. Such an approach gives a special place to the economic empowerment of women as an objective in a search for a more gender balanced society.