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Elisa Mancini, Head of People at xFarm Technologies, Deborah Piovan science popularizer and biotechnology expert, and Sara Carioni, a young woman active in the field of agriculture 4.0, draw the picture of female agriculture today
Milan, March 2023 - Women in the world of agriculture have always played their part, from the daughters, sisters, wives and mothers of farming families who participated in life in the fields alongside the men, to the mondine who saw work in the rice fields as a coveted means of emancipation. To date, recent data attest to the presence of 823,000 women in agriculture-about 30 percent of the total number of people employed in the sector[1].
But while it is true that women in agriculture have always been active participants, it is equally true that it is in top roles that their presence is less pronounced. Something is changing, however; within farms, in fact, the participation of women in managerial roles is strengthening. Female farm managers are in fact 31.5 percent (30.7 percent in 2010)[2]. Women in agriculture are thus gradually gaining those roles of control and administration that were once unfairly precluded to them.
Not only women entrepreneurs but also women experts in the latest technologies applied to Agriculture 4.0, because agriculture has never been so much a "women's thing." This is well known by xFarm Technologies the tech company that aims to digitize the agribusiness sector by providing innovative tools to support farmers while advancing the cause of inclusiveness. "At xFarm Technologies, the search for new resources is always active and we hope to welcome more and more women over the years, in fact we are convinced that diversity can only be an added value within any organization," concludes Elisa Mancini.
The reality, in fact, despite still counting fewer women than their male counterparts to date, sees them engaged in key roles, including Growth Marketing, Product Management, and Software and Web Frontend Development.
"In order to grow a company in a healthy and forward-looking way, it is important to focus on the skills of the individual, regardless of gender," says Elisa Mancini, Head of People at xFarm Technologies, a human resources expert with a 20-year career.
It is in companies like this, where agriculture is intertwined with the world of tech, however, that the gap that still exists in Italy today between men and women in terms of access to science faculties is shown. "There are fewer women deciding to take up STEM studies but it is a dynamic that is bound to change in the years to come. It' s a process that's already underway, because the world of technology is by no means just a men's thing, even if for a long time we were convinced otherwise," Mancini adds.
Excluding a segment of the population from key roles in the world of agriculture and Agritech would have no solid rationale. In fact, the risk is to deprive ourselves, without any reason, of the skills and knowledge of a large number of female professionals, solely because they are women. This is the position of Deborah Piovan, a science popularizer, biotechnology expert in the field of agriculture and agricultural entrepreneur who has digitized her farm with xFarm Technologies. Piovan does not make this an issue of gender discrimination, however, pointing out that throughout the world of work, including in agriculture, what is lacking is too often real support from institutions. "If we want more women in agriculture, in general if we want more women in employment, there needs to be more structured support for families. That means, for starters, more easily accessible childcare and adequate parental leave for the father figure as well," Piovan comments. Indeed, with 65 points out of 100, Italy ranks 14th in the EU in theEuropean Gender Equality Index, the index that assesses the status of women in individual EU states. Notably, as of 2019, Italy's score has decreased by 0.5 points just in the category dedicated to work, where it currently scores 63.2 points and ranks last among all EU member states[3].
Sara Carioni, a very young, class of '99, who grew up among the plots of the family farm, where she is now in charge of cattle breeding management and campaign planning and management thanks to the support of the xFarm platform, stresses how a change of perspective is needed. "I feel very fortunate because in the reality in which I operate a lot of trust is reserved for young people and new technologies. In fact, I believe that an attitude of openness is the only way for the success of a farm today. There is no reason to cling to old paradigms; the same applies to women in agriculture, particularly in management roles. But not only that, in fact, although it may happen that I may not feel up to the task by comparing myself to male co-workers, I have always wanted to put myself out there by breaking the mold by learning, even, how to drive the tractor, which is intentionally pink as a testimony that change, if you want it, is possible!"
[1] 7th General Agriculture Census, ISTAT.
[2] Ibid.
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