Farm Businesswomen's Aspirations for Leadership: A Case Study of the Agricultural Sector in Queensland, Australia

Abstract

In Queensland, Australia, more than half of all women working in agriculture are employed as farmers or farm managers, and they contribute 33 percent of all on-farm income. However, women play a major role in contributing to day-to-day living and farm survival through their off-farm earnings, which is estimated to contribute an estimated $2,715 million or 84 percent of all off-farm income. Despite this major economic and social contribution, little is known about the barriers they face in achieving their leadership goals. In this article we analyse qualitative data from workshops with Queensland farm businesswomen using Acker's concept of the “ideal worker” and inequality regimes theory (1990, 2006) to highlight the issues farm businesswomen face when aspiring to become leaders and we develop the concept that the “ideal farmer” is male. We find that there is a long way to go for these women in the state of Queensland to achieve their leadership goals in this traditionally male-dominated industry. We identify that woman want to expand their roles and undertake leadership opportunities and be recognized by their partners and industry for the contributions they make. Structural (micro) and organizational (meso) level barriers and enablers both hinder and assist farm businesswomen to achieve their leadership goals.

Which perspectives for work in agriculture? Food for thought for a research agenda

“…Several questions are at stake such as (i) the gender division of labor on farms and in the farm household, including gendered drudgery, unpaid care work, "time poverty, " among others, and implications for their engagement in, and benefits from agricultural value chains; (ii) changing gender roles in agriculture, i.e., woman as agricultural entrepreneurs vs. women as farmers' wives (Ressia et al, 2022) and more generally the need to favor empowerment of women in agriculture (Rao, 2011), (iii) decent employment notably social security issues of women in agriculture, i.e., lack of it and its consequences in situations of risks such as divorce, invalidity or old-age.…”

Becoming Majikan in Our Own Farm: A Study on Women and Agroforestry in Cianjur, West Java

“…Currently, people who live (settled communities) in an area manage forest resources deep into the forest, and even people who live longer (long-settled communities) also practice intensive management of managed landscapes. These management systems exist in various countries from Indonesia, Myanmar, Queensland, to Burkina-faso (Herawati, Rohadi, Rahmat, & Winarno, 2019) (Iskandar, Iskandar, Irawan, Suroso, & Partasasmita, 2019) (Kinasih & Wulandari, 2021) (Lopez, 2022) (Pehou, Djoudi, Vinceti, & Elias, 2020) (Ressia, 2022).…”

The Multiple Influences on the Future of Work in Agriculture: Global Perspectives

“…Unfortunately, voices of women are less audible than men's. In the global North, where farmers organization are powerful, women are underrepresented in the decision process (Ressia et al, 2022). In the global South, women have difficulties to be heard in mixed men and women cooperative our community organizations (Sachs et al, 2020).…”

“…Two papers examine gender issues and the evolution of farming models. For Australia, Ressia et al (2022) describe the modest participation of women as leaders in farmers' organization at a moment where the number of women farm entrepreneurs is increasing. The authors suggest levers to strengthen their contribution to organizations that discuss the future of the profession.…”