Kildare TD expresses interest in correcting 'imbalance' of women in farming in the next CAP

A Minister and TD at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has expressed interest in correcting the 'imbalance' of women in farming through the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Deputy Minister Martin Heydon took to Twitter to make the announcement, where he said: "Women have always been central to farms across generations, but often in roles that are not visible or sufficiently recognised."

"Ministers Charlie McConalogue, Pippa Hackett and I are announcing a range of measures to help correct that imbalance in the next CAP."

Women have always been central to farms across generations, but often in roles that are not visible or sufficiently recognised.

Ministers @McConalogue, @pippa_hackett, and I are announcing a range of measures to help correct that imbalance in the next CAP https://t.co/OxPlDXxQQr

— Martin Heydon (@martinheydonfg) November 1, 2021

The latest package of measures outlined in the CAP Strategic Plan includes:

• An increased rate of grant aid of 60 per cent for women aged 41-55 years under Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS)
• Women-only Knowledge Transfer (KT) Groups
• A call under the European Innovation Partnerships (EIP) initiative for proposals to examine women’s participation in agriculture.

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These measures came about after a SWOT analysis, which was prepared for Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan, identified gender inequality as a weakness, while the economic benefits of increasing female participation was identified as an opportunity.

Minister McConalogue explained in a statement: "Gender equality is a priority for my Department, as well as being a cross-cutting objective of the forthcoming CAP."

"The contribution of women to agriculture is important and my Department has worked to design measures which will increase their participation in farming; Food Vision 2030, the agri-food sector’s new ten-year stakeholder strategy, also supports an enhanced role for women in the sector and recommends some further actions, including a national dialogue on women in agriculture."

"I have asked my officials to prioritise this dialogue for next year," he concluded.

Senator Pippa Hackett added: "It is important that gender mainstreaming is integrated into policymaking both through specific CAP interventions, such as the 60 per cent grant rate for qualified female farmers under TAMS, and also through all agriculture schemes.

"I am pleased that equality between women and men, which is a core principle of the European Union, is being given increased emphasis to ensure our rural areas flourish."

She concluded: "I have met many wonderful and innovative female farmers around the country and I look forward to these measures being of great support to them and indeed to all female farmers."

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