The Brussels Policy Briefing n. 53 on ”The next generation of farmers: successes and new opportunities” took place on 20th November 2018 (ACP Secretariat). It was co-organised by CTA, the European Commission (DG Devco and DG Agri), the ACP Secretariat and CONCORD.

1. Best practices and successes of women
farmers in Europe
Lotta Folkesson
Chair of the Women’s Committee of Copa
November 2018

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Copa Women’s Committee
Composition
• Women farmers, farmers’ wives, family member
assistants, farmers’ daughters and delegates of Copa
member organisations.
• Established in 1968
• 3 meetings per year

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Copa Women’s Committee
Objectives
 To represent women in agriculture at the
European level.
 To analyse the problems faced by women in
rural areas and to propose appropriate solutions.
 To maintain regular contacts with the European
Commission (DG Agri, DG Empl, DG Just), the
European Parliament and with the Economic
and Social Committee.
 To promote gender equality policies together with
other stakeholders (e.g. European Women’s Lobby,
Women Entrepreneurship Platform, European Network
for Rural Development)

4. Copa Women’s Committee
6 Challenges
Labour market
Proportion of women working in agriculture is much
smaller than their share of the total working
population (35.1% against 45.9%).
Around of 30% of the EU farm managers are women.
Skills
Women still generally perform low skilled jobs in
agriculture, but the young and skilled women are
participating more and more into the agribusiness
management. Improving women farmers’ skills through
lifelong learning and vocational training as well as
encourage women entrepreneurial skills will lift
their commitment to farming.
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5. Copa Women’s Committee
6 Challenges
Access to credit and finance
Women will only grow their business if family obligations permit
them to work long hours and have a certainty of success.
Women are perceived as too cautious, but take calculated risks.
Men are more optimistic about the profitability but women seem to be
more realistic. As a result, women rarely default when it comes to
reimbursing their loans.
Women’s ideas for innovation are as marketable as men’s, but… these
ideas are not recognized by predominantly male stakeholders.
Networking
Integration of women farmers into the decision-making bodies
at local, regional and national level.
Share of information on agriculture and social policies is also
essential.
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6. Copa Women’s Committee
6 challenges
Infrastructures
Better facilities and services for everyday life in rural
areas (e.g. childcare, elderly care, health care or
schools) would improve the living standards in
rural areas and encourage women’s participation in the
labour market.
Internet access: High-speed broadband is essential to
transform farming. Good access to internet will also allow
farmers to be in direct contact with their consumers, to have
access to networking platforms, to on-line information and to
help to overcome rural areas’ isolation.
Gender Equality policies
Support work-life balances initiatives or the recognition of the
assisting spouses status, for example.
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7. Copa Women’s Committee
Stories of success
5th Edition of the Innovation Award for Women Farmers
Copa introduced this award to shine a light on the
central role of women in farming and to encourge
women’ entrepreneurship.
35 applications from across
EU were received in 2018
5 best projects
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8. Copa Women’s Committee
Upcoming activities
Lobbying for gender equality in the future CAP
Document reference in AI: CF(18)5542
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9. Copa Women’s Committee
Upcoming activities
Prepare the Women’s Committee participation in the
UN/ Committee on the Status of Women 2019
Priority theme: Social protection systems,
access to public services and sustainable infra-
structure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
Review theme: Women’s empowerment and the link to sustainable
Development.
In 2018 the priority theme was Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and the
empowerment of rural women and girls.
The Women’s Committee lobbied the Member States, the European Commission, the Council and Ambassadors
in UN. We received the support from the World Farmers Organization. A delegation of the Women’s Committee
participated in the UN/CSW formal meetings as well as in side and parallel events organized during the CSW
2018.
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10. Copa Women’s Committee
Visit us at:
general.affairs@copa-cogeca.eu
Thank you!
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