The thesis investigates the multifaceted and critical role of Soliga women in indigenous agricultural systems within the Malai Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary (MM Hills), Karnataka. According to Indian law stated under Article 366 (25), Soligas are recognized under scheduled tribe (ST Category) and have a population of around 40,000. Soligas have historically maintained a close relationship with nature through sustainable agricultural and foraging practices. While broader narratives on tribal agriculture often emphasize environmental conflict, displacement, or subsistence fragility, this study focuses on the ecological, social, and economic contributions of women within this indigenous framework. With this the thesis aims to fill a research gap in gendered agroecology by foregrounding Soliga women as producers, knowledge holders, and decision-makers within complex sociological constraints.

The study was conducted across five villages i.e Komduki, Ghorsane, Madegnane, Keeranahola, and Ashturu which were selected for their ecological differences and community composition. Using a mixed-methods approach that included 70 household surveys and 5 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), this research captured both quantitative indicators and qualitative narratives regarding women’s roles in crop cultivation, seed conservation, maintaining kitchen gardens, land use, and financial decision-making. The study was participatory with prior consent from the community members.

Findings reveal that women serve as primary agricultural operators, involved in seed selection, planting, weeding, harvesting, and protecting crops. They preserve rain-fed cropping knowledge across generations. However, their work receives minimal recognition from both household members and official organizations even though they handle these duties. Farming labor performed by women remains undervalued since people regard it as domestic work extension instead of productive skilled activities which sustain community survival.

One of the important objectives behind this study was about kitchen gardens, also known as kaitoota. Kitchen gardens are emerging as essential spaces where women achieve their independence accordingly. Survey results show that over 60% of women control garden cultivation operations through their selection of crops based on nutritional requirements and taste preferences, and seasonal patterns. They produce a wide range of domestic crops which includes bananas, brinjal, chili, papaya, gourds and medicinal herbs.The act of gifting homegrown vegetables serves as a symbol of solidarity, reciprocity, and kinship, among women and their community.

Further legal frameworks such as the Forest Rights Act (2006) do not guarantee land rights for women. The practice of distributing land titles through the “hakku patra” system keeps male household leaders as the main titleholders due to raditional inheritance rules and administrative practices. This reflects both social norms and administrative esistance. Financial independence is also limited: only 24.3% of women reported a say in farm-related financial decisions, while 67.1% said men handled sales.

Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have offered some financial and social empowerment through microcredit and collective ventures. However, women’s participation is still limited by illiteracy, caregiving burdens, and mobility constraints. Intergenerational shifts reveal that while older women are proud of traditional farming knowledge, younger women are drawn to temple, factory, or government jobs due to the physical and financial challenges of farming.

The study revealed another important finding about the relationships between generations. Older women maintain strong emotional connections to standard farming methods while feeling proud about their understanding of soil conditions and rain patterns and plant development cycles. Younger women who received either formal education or urban experience show a declining interest in farming because they find it physically demanding and financially unviable.The decreasing involvement of younger women in traditional land-based practices creates a dilemma of threatening indigenous knowledge preservation and cultural continuity alongside empowering young women to go outside and follow their dreams.

Based on the experiences of Soliga women, this research recommends community-level recognition of women's land use rights, gender-responsive farm training, support for women's agricultural cooperatives, and documentation of traditional knowledge. Institutional reforms must ensure women’s inclusion in governance structures through quotas and support systems like childcare. These suggestions aim to recognize Soliga women as key agents in sustaining indigenous agriculture, despite the lack of formal ownership and visibility. Their kitchen gardens, seed-saving practices, and reciprocal networks are vital resilience mechanisms. By centering their contributions, the thesis challenges development paradigms and calls for a shift toward participatory, inclusive, and sustainable farming futures in MM Hills.