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TOPIC 1,PART 1 WHAT IS WOMEN’S INVOLVEMENT IN AGRICULTURE TODAY?
Nowadays, women can be the backbone of the agriculture industry.
For most women being involved in agriculture, it is a choice they make, either by deciding to stay in rural areas, returning there after their studies, or moving to rural areas with the feeling of leading a more sustainable and calmer lifestyle, and for investment. Nowadays, women seem to be more passionate and involved in what they are doing. Some women involved in agriculture have farming background, especially when they inherit land, and have participated in running the farm. On the other hand, women that marry into farming will bring other skills that will enhance the development of new opportunities in rural areas. Women moving from cities to rural areas, or those residing in cities but with a professional activity related to agriculture, will also be more open to change related to other ways of approaching activities, using technology, or simply to a different standard of life. Attitudes also result from the change of the traditional role of women, who used to be housewives, demonstrating a more independent role nowadays.
Women have interesting ideas and take up more unconventional jobs compared to men.
That said, women take different jobs in agriculture, more diverse than men. To name a few, they are veterinarians, farmers, crafters, instructors, nutritionists, breeders, groomers. Women are also involved in farm tourism and agritourism, which are deemed to have become more popular ways of spending holidays or leisure among individuals of different age.
Go to topic 5 of Module 3 for more information about agritourism.
What exactly do women agripreneurs do for a living?
Beekeeping
Honey production
Gardening and landscaping services
Medical plant cultivation
Flower decorations
Sewing or knitting
Production of fashion
Crafting or handicraft sales of products
Candle making
Ceramics making
Soup production
Decoupage
Herbal-based mineral water sales
Aromatherapy
Crop production
Plant protection
Irrigation
Food and vegetable picking
Baking
Catering
Farm gastronomy
Recreational farming
Agrotourism
Education farms staging
Wine production
Livestock caring
Animal husbandry
Fish breeding
Animal training
Animal therapy (hippotherapy, alpaca therapy)
Bookkeeping (other administration supporting the professional activity in rural areas)
Image source: https://podarujmilosc.pl/alpakateam/ -Alpaca therapy in preschool
Therefore, their work does not only result in bringing food to our tables but also providing services and training, inspiring, and educating.
The examples provided show only some types of activities businesswomen are leading in rural areas. The mentioned can be grouped by general categories, such as caring for animals or plants, food production, and for the support of tourism.
Women become involved in such activities for a few reasons. Some of these include: reducing food production costs due to supply uncertainties, to improve the health (diet) of a community, to make an earning, to transform a hobby or way of life into a profit, to support the development of a rural area, to introduce change (or innovation), and to propose new solutions to a process.
Farm diversification is a women-led domain.
In Lithuania and Latvia, there are the most women farm managers in all the EU countries.
In the UK, the president of the National Farmers Union of England and Wales is a woman, which also proves that the voice of women in agriculture matters.
And in Poland, agricultural entrepreneur Magdalene Wiegel received the Innovation Award for Women Farmers – Innovative Solutions for Farming Sustainability – Women Farmers’ projects in 2018, in the aquaculture category. Her professional activity is related to brown trout breeding. The company she founded with her mother is the centre of a National Park, and focused not only on the sales of trout but to educate on culinary traditions, promote ethical breeding and preserve history of the region [URL https://pstragojcowski.pl/en/].
Another interesting example is from Austria. Christina manages a dairy farm, rents apartments, and devotes herself to baking. She has also decided to turn her passion for baking into a professional activity. And she is an example of how to promote rural small-scale activities with the use of online tools. Besides her Facebook page, she does this by writing a blog ‘Baking with Christina’ [URL www.backenmitchristina.at]. Christina also offers baking courses on her farm. Her culinary activities are aimed at influencing good eating habits. Christina was noticed in the 2018 Innovation award for women farmers.
The previous two descriptions illustrate the importance of small-scale farming to produce or promote healthy food for a healthier lifestyle, as well as sustain rural activities to provide local jobs.
Go to topic 4 of this module for more case studies of women agripreneurs.