March: Indiana Ag Appreciation Month and Women's History Month

There's an old saying about March: "In like a lion, out like a lamb." As I type a snow-rain-ice storm seems to be creeping up on our office in Indianapolis. Ugh. Hopefully the old maxim holds true.

Despite the weather, March is an important month for many. Across the state, March has been designated as a day to celebrate Indiana Agriculture (we're kicking it off today at the Statehouse!) Across the nation, March 19 will be given to celebrating all our country's food & fiber producers, and the land that we rely on for our sustenance. March is also Women's History Day in the United States. The day of March 8, this Friday, is celebrated as International Women's Day for the past 105 years.

What about Women in Agriculture?

The USDA's Farm Service Agency states:

"Women are key to the development of rural areas through their contributions to sustainable agriculture and rural development, including food security, but women are often marginalized in the agricultural sector, do not share equal status at the banks or within the agribusiness sector, and often do not fully participate in USDA programs and services."

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations states:

"Farmers. Workers. Entrepreneurs. Care-givers. Bread-winners. Bread-makers. Mothers. Wives. Daughters. Women are the backbone of the rural economy, especially in the developing world. Yet they receive only a fraction of the land, credit, inputs (such as improved seeds and fertilizers), agricultural training and information compared to men. Empowering and investing in rural women has been shown to significantly increase productivity, reduce hunger and malnutrition and improve rural livelihoods. And not only for women, but for everyone."

Despite these upsetting, yet very real statements, strides towards empowering women in agriculture are increasing with every passing year and generation. For those who follow international development and food security, you can no doubt call to mind some of the leaders of the slow revolution: Vandana Shiva, Muhammad Yunus & Grameen Bank, Kiva, etc. Powerful international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank have also focused their efforts on highlighting the importance of women's roles in agriculture and stable societies, with the UN's FAO reporting that having equal access to agricultural resources could reduce world hunger by 12-17%.

The revolution that's taking place across the country—the feminine approach to farming—might be enough to save the future of food, according to Temra Costa [in] Farmer Jane: Women Changing the Way We Eat. Photo: Rodale Institute

In the United States, the number of women who own farm operations increased by 19% between 2002 and 2007 (source). In that same time period, the number of women who are principal farm operators rose as well. National and regional women's organizations have grown as well. Close to home, Indiana is the site of the Purdue Women in Ag Conference. Nationally, several exist. Here are some:

• American Agri-Women

• Women's Agricultural Network (WAgN)

• Women's Food and Agricultural Network (WFAN)

• Rural Women's Network 
• Women Food & Agriculture Network

There's much too much to write about all the exciting facets of the intersection between women and agriculture in one blog post - which is a good problem to have! Indulge your curiosity by checking out these infographics and articles:

• The Female Face of Farming (FAO)
• Are Women the Secret Weapon in the Battle for Food Security? (The Guardian)
• The Girl Next Door is the Future of Farming (Rodale)
• Women at Chico State Look Toward Future in Farming (AgriCorner)