From 2 to 4 April 2025, the 5th International Conference ‘Women in Agriculture’ took place in Bolzano, organised by the South Tyrolean Women Farmers' Organisation, the Institute for Economic Research of the Bolzano Chamber of Commerce (WIFO), the Free University of Bolzano and Eurac Research. Following conferences in Bern (2011), 2022), Vienna (2013), Schwäbisch-Hall (2017) and Zollikofen (2022), this time the event was organised in South Tyrol. More than 150 female farmers, advisors, scientists and interested parties from South Tyrol, Germany, Austria and Switzerland came together to discuss key topics such as visibility, remuneration, retirement provision and care work in agriculture and social change in rural areas. In practice-orientated workshops, concrete solutions and recommendations for action were developed for the challenges in everyday farming life.
Theresia Oedl-Wieser and Katrin Hofer from the BAB took part. Theresia Oedl-Wieser gave a lecture on the topic ‘Being a farmer in times of social, economic and ecological transformations and crises - challenges and perspectives’. In the run-up to the conference, she was invited to give a radio interview on RAI Südtirol. The topic of the programme was the current situation of women in agriculture and their potential and prospects in times of diverse transformations. For Katrin Hofer, as a young scientist at the BAB, the conference was an inspiring experience. It was particularly enriching to meet so many women who are active in rural areas in different ways and to exchange ideas with them. Although the conference clearly focussed on women in agriculture, agriculture in this context can also be seen as a focal point for general challenges and issues that reinforce developments in rural areas.
The conference showed the importance of the exchange between women in agriculture and rural areas as well as the need for stronger networking between women in research, consulting, politics and agricultural practice. The next conference is expected to take place in April 2027 at BOKU University in Vienna.
More information: https://tagung.baeuerinnen.it/
https://www.efefverlag.ch
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© Bozen Frauentagung: Katrin Hofer
© SBO (Südtiroler Bäuerinnenorganisation)
