On the International Day of Rural Women, the Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) is calling on all political parties ahead of the state election to support the participation of a diverse agricultural workforce.
The international day recognises the critical role and contribution of rural women to agricultural production, food security and nutrition, land and natural resource management, and building climate resilience.
QFF CEO Dr Georgina Davis said the advocacy body had collaborated with Griffith University on a research project which aimed to identify initiatives that would encourage more women to take up leadership roles in the agriculture sector.
“The research identified that many women were active, both economically and in leadership roles on-farm and within their rural communities. However, there is a need to analyse training and development opportunities to identify the gaps and to develop suitable interventions and programs that assist women in achieving their aspirations,” Dr Davis said.
“To achieve our aim of diversity and inclusion in agriculture, QFF has created a Leadership and Diversity in Agriculture Work Program, including the Farm Businesswomen Working Group.”
“The Working Group has identified the need to build women’s confidence to be involved in the sector at various levels, greater dissemination of the available opportunities, and improved financial security and position within the farm business structure as priorities for resolving the challenges that women in agriculture face.”
“To address the gaps and assist women to achieve their agricultural aspirations, QFF is calling on all political parties to commit funding and to working with QFF to implement programs that will address these issues in Queensland.”
“We must begin a conversation around what inclusion and inclusive leadership looks like for Queensland’s agricultural sector, and how we move to workplaces that value all forms of diversity.”