The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) is conducting a research project, Supporting the Advancement of Women in Agriculture (SAWA) to examine and address critical barriers to advancement that women face in the agricultural industry. “The purpose of this initiative is to engage women and stakeholders within the agriculture community to develop and implement a strategic program to support improved access to leadership opportunities and strengthen business success for women working in agriculture,” explains Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst, CAHRC Executive Director.
The project will involve a comprehensive assessment of the current situation facing women in agriculture. Using a gender lens, the assessment will explore the contribution of women to the industry, the barriers they experience, prioritize options for improvements, and assess the effectiveness of current services. This will inform the development of programs and resources to assist women in agriculture as well as agricultural employers, organizations and training institutions to strengthen access to leadership opportunities and business success for women working in agriculture.
Some of the expected programs and resources to come from this will include a Supporting Women in Agricultural Leadership Program that offers online resources, the creation of a Women in Agriculture professional network, and a suite of instructive reference materials for Boards and training institutions to improve the accessibility of opportunities for women.
“Through this project, organizations will have access to specific tools and reference materials to guide them in removing barriers while supporting women’s participation in senior leadership roles,” explains Debra Hauer, SAWA Project Manager for CAHRC. “Additionally, training and educational organizations will be given assistance to support increased enrolment and graduation rates of female students. Finally, women will have access to a one-stop, credible forum for reference material, information exchange, networking and opportunities to support their career success.”
The project is being conducted as a partnership-based initiative with extensive support and contributions from national and regional agricultural associations, training and education providers, and women’s groups, along with the Ministry of Status of Women in Canada. The work will also involve gathering input and feedback directly from women working in agriculture, and the support of an Advisory Group of professionals representing key stakeholders to oversee the project activities and ensure meaningful results.
