Any woman who is 18 or older, resident in Maharashtra, living in the area of a Village Panchayat or Nagar Panchayat, and a farmer as defined in the Act (Sections 2(d) and 3). Recognition depends on the Gram Sabha or Nagar Panchayat finding that she carries out at least one of the activities in clauses (a) and (d) of Section 2 (Sections 5(3) and 6(3)).