Kristin Murdock, Naracoorte Community News
Women in agriculture in Australia are actively involved in various aspects of the agricultural industry.
They play crucial roles in farming, agribusiness, research, education, and advocacy. The agricultural sector in Australia offers numerous opportunities for girls and women to pursue rewarding careers and make significant contributions to the industry’s development and sustainability. The desire to contribute to the traditionally male-dominated industry is evident in the Naracoorte area, with Naracoorte High School students, keen to be a part of the sector.
NHS students, Eliza and Millie, who are in Year 7, are both keen to have a future in agriculture and are currently studying the subject as part of their curriculum.
“I really think girls can play a big part in the agriculture industry,” Millie said.
Eliza, who hails from a farm near Naracoorte said she loved the lifestyle and the opportunities it offers.
“Even though we have to do ag now, when we have the choice of subjects, I still plan to do it,” Eliza said.
And, they will be part of a growing cohort as women make up 34 per cent of employees in the Australian agriculture sector and are estimated to provide one third of all on-farm income and a massive 84 per cent of off-farm income.
According to a report from ANZ, the reality of the value and depth of women’s contribution to production potential goes further than even these figures recognise: women fill a vital role as business decision-makers, advisers, bookkeepers, mediators and succession planners. Women also play a crucial role in diversifying farm output towards agri-tourism, food and hospitality ventures.
Sometimes, women are isolated from the broader industry as ‘silent’ participants on farm. That trend is slowly changing however as more and more women partake in tertiary education in agriculture and related disciplines and the workforce shifts to have higher formal, paid participation by women.
Women made up 28 per cent of all managers in the agriculture industry, with the 2016 Agricultural Census revealing over 50 per cent of women working in agriculture were working in a ‘managers’ position.
However, there is also distinct lack of women’s representation in large corporations and industry bodies. Men make up almost 90 per cent of rural representative bodies while women make up only 2.3 per cent of CEOs in Australian agribusinesses, compared with an average of 17 per cent across other industries.
Young women like Eliza and Millie are determined to change that.
“There’s no reason we can’t do what the boys do,” Eliza said. “I’m really interested in ag and can see it as part of my future.”
This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.
