Women working on the farm: How to promote their contribution to the development of agriculture and rural areas in Europe

This note provides an overview of the situation of women in farming across the European Union. It looks at women’s contribution to the farm labour force, their contribution to farm income through off-farm work and diversification activities. It examines patterns of land inheritance and differences between the way men and women access land to farm. It highlights differences between women on large and small farms, and more significantly, differences between women in the old and new Member States. It considers the political and legal framework of the EU and how it impacts on women on farms. Finally it offers some recommendations for the CAP post 2013.