Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue and Ministers of State, Pippa Hackett, and Martin Heydon have today (Wednesday, January 31) launched a National Women in Agriculture Action Plan which include normalising female succession.
The action plan was devised from the National Dialogue on Women in Agriculture which examined gender equality in farming and the wider agri-food sector, and how to increase the visibility and status of women in agriculture.
The outcomes of the dialogue were compiled into a report, including a range of recommendations arising from workshops held on the day.
Subsequently, a working group consolidated these recommendations into a 12-point Action Plan.
The Women in Agriculture Working Group will continue to meet to monitor the progress of implementation.
Minister McConalogue said: “I am pleased to be joined here today by my colleagues Ministers of State Hackett and Heydon, chair of the National Dialogue and former Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan, and the members of our newly established Working Group on Women in Agriculture to launch this Action Plan.
“I am committed to promoting and improving gender balance at all levels of the agri-food sector and have demonstrated this commitment by taking forward some key commitments in support of equity across the industry.
“This includes the introduction of a new TAMS rate for women farmers as well as making considerable progress toward the 40% female representation on the State Boards under my remit.
“The Report of the Dialogue provides insight into the challenges and experiences of the women in attendance, while the Action Plan provides focus for future work on this important issue.”
The agriculture minister said that the Working Group will now explore the practicalities of delivering the necessary changes and initiatives to improve the daily lives of women throughout the agri-food sector.
12-point Action Plan to promote female farmers
The 12 points included in the Action Plan arising from the National Dialogue on Women in Agriculture are as follows:
- Host a series of demand-driven webinars/local events (considering local needs) to encourage and promote increased female interaction, leadership, and participation in the sector;
- Increase promotion of agriculture as a viable career for women and young girls in primary and post-primary schools, to be progressed through with Agri Aware and the Department of Education;
- Liaise with Teagasc and third level education providers to ensure that there are options to ensure the highest possible female participation (e.g,. for those who have caring responsibilities);
- Implement the use of more inclusive language and imagery in communications to farmers and about farming;
- Promote and normalise female succession, including the consideration of any changes required to policy, taxation, legislation and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) schemes;
- Liaise with Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners on any barriers for women farmers within the taxation system, and to ensure greater inclusivity and fairness;
- DAFM to consider sponsoring a ‘Women in Agriculture Innovation and Excellence Award’ within an existing award programme(s)to acknowledge and recognise those who are leading the way in the agri-food sector;
- Establish a working group to review internal DAFM scheme eligibility and educational requirements to ensure maximum opportunities available to women farmers and to establish a process for the consideration of the issue in the design and implementation of all schemes, including improved recording and reporting of gender data;
- Review procedures and processes in place for the inclusion of women on herd numbers and Herd-Keeper across the DVO network and external agri-agencies;
- Create a dedicated space on the DAFM website, which would become a hub for all things related to women in agriculture;
- Undertake research on women in agriculture;
- Promote the role of women in improved sustainability for the sector, social, environmental, and economic.
Minister Pippa Hackett said: “As one of the thousands of women who work in farming across Ireland I am acutely aware of the need for our voice to be heard and our interests to be promoted.
“I am proud that we now have a 12-point government-backed Action Plan which supports us. On many farms across Ireland, it is women who are thinking outside the box and we need to support that innovation as much as we can.
“I would encourage not only women in the industry but husbands and sons, brothers and uncles to look at this plan and consider how they can play their part on the ground.
“The plan also demonstrates this government’s, and indeed my own, commitment to pursuing targeted policies that support and promote female leadership in a sector in which we are a minority.”
Minister Heydon said: “We all have a responsibility to continue to promote and improve gender balance at all levels and in all areas of society.
“[The Action Plan] addresses a number of important areas such as succession, education, and recognition and I am particularly looking forward to supporting greater research into this area to ensure we have solid foundations for any future policies.”
Mary Coughlan concluded: “I look forward to the implementation of this Action Plan, to seeing the necessary measures put in place that will ultimately lead to greater visibility and equity for women in farming and the agri-food industry.
“I am honoured to have led the Dialogue and to have been part of this initiative to bring better gender balance to the sector.”