Summary of Module 2

What is women’s involvement in agriculture today?

Women are involved in more and more diverse activities in agriculture, which means the traditional role of women has changed. Many of the initiatives, e.g., beekeeping, sewing, or cooking have transformed into an agribusiness and become a source of income, but also represent the next step in the professional development. Farm diversification is, in fact, a women-led domain.

How can women contribute to agriculture?

Women contribute to agriculture especially in 4 areas: culinary heritage, cultural heritage, preservation of traditional natural landscape and biodiversity, and in socio-cultural and sports-tourism activities. More women are also becoming ambassadors, start-uppers or bringing generations together through handcrafting or other group activities organised in rural areas.

What are the obstacles women in agriculture face and how can they overcome them?

Gender discrimination and Women’ s workloads

In most of European countries, the agriculture sector is male-dominated. The gender gap is clear, when social environment discourages women from becoming productive, because instead they should be supportive to their family and care for their children. Gender differences became clearer when looking at women’s workloads. It is estimated that women provide 85 to 90 percent of the time spent on household food processing and preparation across a wide range of countries. Depending on the household structure and size, these tasks may be extremely time-intensive.

Lack of financial support and Payment gap

Financial support is a controversial issue for many of European countries. Usually, agripreneurs end up dealing with their financial problems by using their own savings. While financial support can be extremely beneficial for growing the businesses and organizing training courses, obstacles related to bureaucracy, licensing, funding, and cooperating with public sector are serious enough to delay and even cease the process. At the same time, the payment gap between men and women is crucial. One cause for this gap is women’s insufficient knowledge on agricultural procedures that affect their career prospects. Because of their motherhood duties, women have less chances to gain experience than men and as a result they end up as low-skilled employees who become their husband’s assistants. What is more, this consequence becomes more serious because their education levels do not go further than the standard level.

Solutions:

European, National and Regional policies

Those obstacles could be overcome via the cooperation of each country along with the European Union. At first, women need support while implementing their double role as mothers and entrepreneurs.  Secondly, within the European Union, collaborative partnerships between training institutions and networks from a variety of European countries may push to facing the obstacles by cooperation, changing ideas, and good practices. Moreover, an organised public infrastructure which offers help while child and elderly caring, education opportunities, and transportation flexibility of women who stay in rural areas could be very helpful. What is more, the development of regional policies in agriculture could be beneficial as well as the national operation plan to implement the EU bioeconomy strategy and the introduction of sustainable and participatory support system for women agripreneurs.

Educational and Funding opportunities

Regarding educational opportunities, technical training together business knowledge in agripreneurialism could play an important role in optimizing this business field for women. Regarding financial opportunities, there is a need for financial security and risk sharing. This could happen via micro credit schemes and public guarantees, which lower the individual risk.

Rural Cooperatives

They are made with the aim to support women entrepreneurship and improve woman’s position into society. This happens through creating a source of income for women agripreneurs and giving them independence, control over their business, and self-esteem to follow their dreams.

What are the best examples of women agripreneurs?

QOPPA: Two young Greek women produce premium quality organic extra virgin olive oil which is exported in many foreign countries. The produced QOPPA virgin oil has premium quality. That is why it has characterised as “Certified Extra Virgin Olive Oil” and has been awarded with a Gold Star and a Silver according to its taste and packaging, with a Bronze for health and nutrition and for its quality, in national and international competitions in 2020.

HERBAFABRIKA: It is a micro herb farm called Farm 4.0. The growing of young plants occurs vertically, hydroponically (without soil, in nutrient solution), and their control is carried out via software. In other words, this is the first hydroponic farm in Prague, introducing digital farming for the first time. On the farm, they grow micro-herbs, vegetables, and small fruits locally and basically without spraying.  As a result, their taste is original and has high vitamin content.

MAJNIKA HERB GARDEN: Majda has founded the Majnika Herb Garden and a family farm in Slovenia. Her herb garden has more than 160 different plants growing.  The production of herbs and sprouts is organic and biodynamic, while Majda has been active in markets for more than 10 years. The farming is also free of artificial fertilisers and sprays, without hybrids, plastic films, and heavy machinery. Besides the production and the online-shop, herbal garden offers interesting and informative guided tours, thematic workshops, lectures, and consultations. Finally, Majnika Herb Garden has awarded twice from AgroBiznis and IMK in Slovenia. Majnika was later joined by her daughter Katja, who was recognised as an innovative young farmer in 2019 and as the best entrepreneur among farmers in 2020.