This paper examines how the Public Distribution System (PDS) in India, while introduced to address hunger and food insecurity, displaces women from traditional farming, weakens their nutritional autonomy, and erases their cultural roles in food systems. The focus on subsidized rice and wheat benefits male landowners and excludes women, especially Dalit and Adivasi farmers, from agricultural decision-making. Drawing on a grassroots initiative led by Dalit women in Zaheerabad, the paper highlights how community-driven, decentralized food systems rooted in women’s knowledge can improve food security and restore autonomy. It calls for a reimagined PDS that centers women’s lived experiences and leadership.
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