General News
27 March, 2024
IWD fast facts: women in agriculture
Women are increasingly staking their claim in the agricultural sector, with more than 88,000 women working in agriculture in 2023.
Women are increasingly staking their claim in the agricultural sector, with more than 88,000 women working in agriculture in 2023. Celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) deputy secretary Tess Bishop said women account for more than a third of the agricultural workforce, making significant yet often unrecognised contributions to businesses and communities across Australia.
“Women have long played a vital role in agriculture and have often been overlooked. [International Women's Day] is about celebrating and recognising the diversity of our sector and the key role women hold now and for future growth,” Ms Bishop said. “An increasing number of women are achieving qualifications in agriculture, including agricultural science, animal husbandry, and wool science.” Here are some fast facts from DAFF about women in Australian agriculture:
• From 2016 to 2021, the number of women employed in agriculture grew by 7105 workers, representing almost two-thirds (66 per cent) of the overall expansion in the agricultural industry.
• Sheep, beef cattle, and grain farming accounted for 42 per cent of women working in the agricultural sector.
• According to the latest Australian Census, 48 per cent of women working in agriculture were employed as managers in 2021, down from 52 per cent in 2016. However, their number still increased between 2016 (37,787 female managers) and 2021 (38,275 female managers).
• DAFF’s gender balance for women on portfolio boards is 48 per cent, with 52 per cent held by men.
