Women Caring for the Catchment
Women Caring for the Catchment
The Catchment Keepers workshops was designed to inspire local agricultural women across the Murrumbidgee to share stories and actions that empower and sustain us as custodians and farmers.
Capacity to Deliver -
NSWLP-011
The issue
The issue at hand is that 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.
The solution
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.
The impact
The project had a positive impact, engaging local women farmers and farm partners in a program of discussions, farm walks, academic insights, and workshops focused on improving confidence, reducing social isolation, providing skills, empowering leadership and custodian roles, and building networks for ongoing cohesion. Participants were encouraged to share their own thoughts and ideas about the industry, and the workshops provided an opportunity for women from different areas to come together and learn from each other. The workshops covered a variety of topics, including mental health, art, native bees, native seed collection, finance management, entrepreneurship, and more.
Key facts
- 3 workshops were held
- With 9 speakers
- And a total of 40 participants