New Delhi, May 27 -- At Dharmaveer auditorium at Pune's Savitribai Phule University two weeks ago, a few women from tribal communities talked about the produce they had on display, while some from Gujarat took photographs, and others explained to other visitors the use of headphones to get live translations of sessions.

A lot was going on all at once at the three-day conference, from 7-9 May, which was attended by more than 500 women farmers from 17 states to mark the 10th anniversary of Mahila Kisan Adhikar Manch (Makaam), the women farmers' rights alliance. The women exuded confidence, camaraderie and wisdom but beneath it all ran the deeper issues, long-term challenges and the uphill journey they have been tackling for a decade.

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