What is it about?

The agricultural and rural development policy aims to transition agriculture towards practices that are environmentally sustainable and climate-neutral. This involves focusing on human capital, knowledge, and innovation. Gender equality is seen as crucial in encouraging these sustainable practices, especially through schemes like agri-environment-climate schemes (AECS) within farm and rural development. We find that women in Slovenian farms are actively adopting AECS and receiving subsidies, even though traditionally, men have had more advantages in various agricultural areas.

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Why is it important?

The research highlights the importance of achieving gender equality for sustainable development in farms and rural areas. Empowering rural women can lead to more entrepreneurship and support environmentally friendly and resilient farming practices. Policymakers are encouraged to back initiatives promoting gender equality, which can help broaden women's involvement in green farming and rural entrepreneurship, contributing to a more diverse and sustainable agricultural sector.

Perspectives

The study underscores the significance of taking into account geographical and local factors when examining participation in agri-environment-climate schemes (AECS). It suggests that policymakers need to tailor AECS adoption policies according to the specific conditions of each area. Additionally, providing education and training opportunities for rural women can enhance their engagement in sustainable farming practices, thereby contributing to the success of AECS initiatives.

Professor Imre Ferto
Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences: Budapest

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Empowering women in sustainable agriculture, Scientific Reports, March 2024, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57933-y.
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