Saturday, 04 October 2025
A new publication from CAP Network Ireland, Women in Agriculture: Driving Change Under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan, is shining a spotlight on the critical, but often under-recognised, role that women play in shaping Irish agriculture. Featuring 12 inspiring women, including farmers, advisers, and leaders, the report reflects the growing emphasis on inclusivity and gender equality […]
A new publication from CAP Network Ireland, Women in Agriculture: Driving Change Under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan, is shining a spotlight on the critical, but often under-recognised, role that women play in shaping Irish agriculture. Featuring 12 inspiring women, including farmers, advisers, and leaders, the report reflects the growing emphasis on inclusivity and gender equality under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027.
Among those featured is Claire Brennan, an agricultural adviser leading the Making Farms Work for Women European Innovation Partnership (EIP) in north Mayo. The three-year project seeks to tackle the under-representation of women in farming roles and to promote a sustainable and inclusive farming community. The initiative aims to empower women farmers and nurture leadership among the next generation.
“We want to organise workshops to encourage the involvement of young girls in farming at an early stage,” said Brennan. “There is still a belief bias that the male will be the future farmer and successor. However, often the female might be the more natural farmer.”
She also expressed the importance of increasing female representation in future CAP delivery at both national and EU levels.
The publication also features Carina Roseingrave, a full-time farmer operating a mixed farm at the foothills of the Burren in Co. Clare. Carina manages a suckler herd of pedigree Limousin and Charolais cows and credits CAP supports with helping her sustain her farming career while raising a family.
“Farming is a wonderful career that gives me flexibility around raising my kids and I’m out in the fresh air but it wouldn’t be sustainable without CAP supports,” she said.
Carina intends to apply for 60% support under the Women Farmers Capital Investment Scheme through TAMS 3 to construct a modern shed for her herd. She also highlighted the value of the ACORNS programme, which supports female-led rural start-ups, in changing how she approaches farm management. “Before ACORNS, I would never have looked at the farm as a business. Now I do.”
Despite positive momentum, the report does not shy away from the significant structural challenges still facing women in agriculture. Only 13% of Ireland’s farm-holders are female, according to the 2023 CSO Farm Structure Survey. Women continue to face barriers such as limited access to land ownership, finance, and persistent cultural biases about gender roles in farming.
James Claffey, Project Manager with CAP Network Ireland, explained: “By amplifying these voices, we hope to encourage more women to take leadership roles in farming and rural development and ensure that agriculture reflects the full talent and diversity of our communities.”
The report also calls for improved data collection, childcare supports, and cultural change to ensure progress is measurable and sustained.
Minister of State for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, praised the initiative, saying: “It is about inspiration. It is about creating space for more women to see a future for themselves in farming, in leadership, and in shaping the rural communities we all value.
“It is also about acknowledging and learning from real experiences, grounded in hard work, vision, and a deep commitment to both land and place,.”
The publication underscores how Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027 is placing increasing emphasis on gender equality and rural inclusion. Targeted supports like the Women Farmers Capital Investment Scheme, leadership training, and innovation partnerships are laying the groundwork for lasting change.
CAP Network Ireland, co-funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the European Union, is committed to highlighting progress while recognising the work still required to level the field for women in farming.
Women in Agriculture: Driving Change Under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan is more than a report—it’s a call to action. By showcasing leadership, challenging outdated norms, and promoting inclusive policies, it aims to ensure women are no longer an underrepresented voice in Irish agriculture, but central to its future.
13% of farm-holders in Ireland are women (CSO, 2023)
The Making Farms Work for Women EIP is a 3-year project in north Mayo
Supports include ACORNS, TAMS 3 Women’s Capital Investment Scheme, and more
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