Despite the increasing evolution of women’s roles in agriculture, they remain significantly underrepresented and undervalued in positions of rural leadership and decision making. An unconscious bias exists in the industry, perpetuated by the overwhelming majority of images depicting male farmers in a simple Google search for ‘Australian farmer.’ Women’s contributions to agriculture have a deep and rich history, but their work is often rendered invisible due to its intangible and ephemeral nature, as well as its characterization as domestic work.
To address this issue, Murrumbidgee Landcare developed the Catchment Keepers project, funded by the National Landcare Program ‘Smart Farms Small Grants.’ The project was rolled out across the Riverina region in 2021 and 2022, and aimed to support women farmers and farm partners as custodians of the land and water, as well as in their life on farms and in their communities.
Three workshops were held in the Bidgee North and Bidgee Mid regions, featuring all women speakers who shared their knowledge and experiences with local women.
