Mayo farming project brings women’s voices to the Ploughing

The experiences of women farmers in North Mayo have been brought into national and European agricultural discussions following a meeting between the team behind Making Farms Work for Women and European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen.

The team attended the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore, where they met Commissioner Hansen and outlined the work being carried out with women farmers across Mayo.

The three-day event attracted more than 243,000 people, providing an opportunity for farmers, agricultural organisations and policymakers from Ireland and Europe to discuss the future of the sector.

Making Farms Work for Women is a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project led by Claire Brennan and co-funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the European Union.

The project received €650,000 in funding under the Gender Balance in Farming theme and is working over three years with 60 women farmers in North Mayo.

The project is examining practical challenges faced by women on farms, including livestock handling, machinery and equipment, physically demanding tasks, access to training and ways of making everyday farm work safer and more manageable.

Claire Brennan said meeting Commissioner Hansen provided an opportunity to bring the experiences of women farming in Mayo directly into discussions at European level.

“One of the most important things for us at the Ploughing was being able to bring what women are telling us on farms in North Mayo into conversations with people who can influence agriculture at a national and European level,” she said.

She said the project was focused on practical issues, including identifying equipment that does not work well for women, gaps in training and changes that could make the working day easier.

“These issues are not unique to Mayo,” Claire Brennan added. “The response we had at the Ploughing showed us that women from all over Ireland recognise many of the same challenges.”

Members of the project team also participated in panel discussions during the Championships, outlining their work with women farmers and the importance of involving farmers themselves in identifying problems and developing practical solutions.

The team also spoke with farmers, agricultural organisations, public representatives and policymakers throughout the event about the challenges facing those working on farms.

The need for maternity support for women who farm was also raised with Commissioner Hansen, with the issue led by Irish Ambassador for Women in Agriculture, Carina Roseingrave.

The discussions come as Making Farms Work for Women progresses with farm visits and practical training. Recent workshops have included quad handling and reversing, with further training planned across the West and beyond.

The project will use the experiences gathered from participating farms to develop and test practical responses, including training, improved working practices and potential solutions around tools and equipment.

Claire Brennan said the lessons emerging from the North Mayo pilot could contribute to a wider conversation about how farming can better support women across Ireland.