Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 December 2022
121. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the plans he has to change the over-representation of females at lower grades within farming bodies and their under-representation at senior positions within these same farming bodies. [61244/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI advise that obviously I have no responsibility for the organisation of representative farm bodies.
However, the Deputy will be aware gender equality is a key a priority for me and for the Government. It is also a core principle of the European Union, and the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) Regulations place a particular focus on promoting the participation of women in the socio-economic development of rural areas, with special attention to farming.
At a European level the number of women in farming has been slowly increasing. 2016 data suggests that, on average, around 30% of farms across the EU are managed by a woman, but with some considerable differences between Member States. The Census of Agriculture 2020 reported that just 13% of farm holders in Ireland are female.
I am very pleased that, for the first time, Ireland’s new CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) includes specific measures aimed at increasing the participation of women in farming. Ireland’s CSP, which will deliver some €10 billion to farm families over the next five years, includes innovative proposals to promote gender equality, including:
- An increased grant rate of 60% under the Capital Investment Scheme to fund investments by trained women farmers.
- The promotion of women-only Knowledge Transfer Groups.
- Improved recording and reporting of gender data and the leveraging of the National CAP Network to increase the involvement of all women in the implementation of CAP.
- All CAP interventions will be developed with a gender-aware perspective to ensure there are no inherent barriers to women's participation.
- European Innovation Partnerships offer an ideal opportunity for the sector to develop initiatives that will promote women's participation in farming.
In addition, since 2015, the Department has provided support for rural female entrepreneurs under the ACORNS programme. This initiative involves the development and implementation of a tailored programme to support early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.
Food Vision 2030, our shared strategy for the agri-food sector, recognises the importance of gender equality to its long-term sustainability and includes actions to promote and improve gender balance. In this regard, it should be acknowledged that the farm bodies were active participants in the Committee that developed Food Vision.
Food Vision proposed holding a national dialogue on women in agriculture. I formally launched the conference last week and announced that former Tánaiste and Minister for Agriculture, Mary Coughlan, will chair the event on 1 February next year, St Brigid’s Day. The Conference will examine gender equality in farming and the agri-food sector generally and hear the views of women themselves on what more can be done on this important issue. The outcomes of the Conference will feed into future policy in this regard.
While I have no responsibility for the running of farming bodies, I would encourage them to do all they can to ensure there is a strong female representation at all elected positions.
