Recognising Women Farmers

Federal funding for NT rural women’s skills and leadership workshop series

Territory rural women will benefit from a $1 million Australian Government initiative announced this month to help women take on leadership roles in rural and regional Australia.

Springs Branch’s Tracey Hayes introduces speakers at the 2009 conference.

The NT Cattlemen’s Association has been allocated up to $52,250 through the program, to conduct a series of Women's Capacity: Mental Toughness for Greatness workshops aimed at developing the leadership and personal skills of women associated with the Territory cattle industry.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke, announced the funding for this and 28 other initial Australia-wide projects, under the
government’s Recognising Women Farmers initiative. during He announced the funding during the Australian RIRDC Rural Women’s Award 2009 ceremony in Canberra this month, saying women across the country were determined to help lead their communities through future challenges, including climate change.

“The Department has always provided support for conferences and a range of gatherings, but the way in which funding was previously provided meant the overwhelming majority went to conferences where most attendees were male.

“This funding will help to correct the balance by funding events which develop technical and leadership skills and strengthen industry networks or by funding projects looking at the social impacts of climate change and other areas.

“More than 52,000 women defined themselves as farmers or farm managers, contributing an estimated $1.1 billion a year to farm viability. Yet women still occupy less than 20% of paid management and board positions in the agricultural sector – something the Government is determined to change.”

Mr Burke also announced that RIRDC would receive $50,000 to coordinate a rural and remote area women’s mentoring project which would be linked to the Rural Women’s Awards and further strengthen leadership skills in rural sectors.