American Farmland Trust and Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education published information, tips, and tools for effective engagement for online education, including hybrid settings for farm and ranch women on topics related to farm viability, resilience, and conservation in “Reaching Women in Agriculture: A Guide to Virtual Engagement”.
The guide shares that one of the reasons to create women-focused and women-only events, virtual or otherwise, is to establish a comfortable space for women-identifying individuals to find and access resources, information and networking they typically do not have easy access to in the agricultural services world. The goal is to create a safe space for women to learn from each other and gain confidence, rather than excluding men.
“The guidance in Reaching Women is born out of AFT’s Women for the Land initiative and the Learning Circle model, which arose out of early partnerships with the Women Food and Agriculture Network,” said Gabrielle Roesch-McNally, Ph.D., guide author and AFT Women for the Land Director. “Learning Circles, where women learn from other women in a setting with no visible hierarchy, have proven effective in engaging women landowners and producers in conversations about land management, particularly regarding agricultural best practices for soil health and water quality. The guide provides best practices for conducting this work in a virtual setting.”
Reaching Women incorporates both the characteristics of high-quality programs for women in agriculture and the emerging best practices for adapting farmer education and networking events to virtual platforms. It shares innovative approaches and lessons learned from AFT efforts and the efforts of our partners to engage women in agriculture under the social distancing requirements associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. This work will continues be critically important for outreach as we continue to integrate virtual engagement in the work we do even as we move beyond acute impacts associated with the pandemic. Rurality, large geographic expanses, expenses associated with childcare and transportation make virtual options for gathering an ongoing need for engaging women in agriculture.
Download or order your free print copy of Reaching Women in Agriculture here. Reaching Women in Agriculture is available in quantity for free to educators for use in educational workshops, classes, or tours.
