In an ever-evolving world, it is not surprising to see significant transformations that move us forward. This includes advances in the often complex subject of diversity. We’ve come a long way when it comes to embracing diversity. However, the work is still not done. It requires constant effort from everyone to ensure an inclusive world, regardless of obvious differences.
You can see the efforts being made to push gender equality and eliminate racial discrimination. It might not be a popular take, but many women worldwide took it upon themselves to penetrate the predominantly male-dominated world of poultry farming. This is a means of economic empowerment, allowing women to take part in the decision-making process and gain access to productive resources.
It might not seem much at first glance, but poultry sector sales in 2022 in the U.S. amounted to $76.9 billion, showing an increase of 67% from 2021. There is great demand from both domestic and foreign consumers for poultry products, making the industry one of the largest in the country.
While most women may not choose to work here, many do and are trying to make a difference. They are actively getting involved in rural poultry production efforts, including ownership of poultry farms, decision-making in sales and processes, and feeding and disease control.
In other countries, particularly in Asia and Africa, poultry production looks different. Women rarely have access to resources such as land, markets, and farming technologies. They could do more to increase farm yields and feed more people if they have.
So, how can women be more active in the farming community? We’ve prepared a short guide that ladies will find useful.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways to nurture inclusivity in a male-dominated industry.
Organize an Event for Women in Poultry to Get Together
Encouraging women to become active within the farming community can be a step in the right direction when it comes to making poultry farming more inclusive. This can be done by organizing an event and inviting women to attend.
It could be an avenue for them to learn, interact, and build relationships with one another. They can learn so much from each other, allowing them to share their stories and exchange ideas on overcoming challenges.
The event can be as simple as addressing the concerns on the farm, such as maintaining cleanliness and ensuring the chickens are healthy. They can swap resources, anything from protection from gophers and moles to determining where to get the best poultry supplies like durable chicken nesting boxes.
Promote Women’s Leadership in Agriculture
Women in agriculture who lead and make significant decisions are rare. Not many are involved in the day-to-day operations of the business side of poultry farming. Most of them undertake a large part of the agricultural work, which makes their contribution largely unrecognized. They can rarely voice out their concerns at the national and global level.
This is because only a few women in leadership positions make key decisions. There are efforts globally to promote women’s leadership in agriculture. Women are encouraged to attend forums, seminars, workshops, and other programs that help them understand the importance of their role in the sector and how they can make their voices heard.
Strengthen Women’s Access to Financial Services
Women’s independence and empowerment are closely interlinked with their economic status. In particular, there is the issue of land ownership and access to other resources such as water and energy.
There is also the lack of access to technology, information, and markets – all of which are integral to the success of poultry production.
Additionally, there should be easy access to funding, whether it is in the form of loans or grants. This also means moving beyond microfinance and making more effort to recognize women’s need to access more substantial resources, including owning land and having childcare facilities.
Foster Policy Changes to Increase Women’s Land Ownership
It is important that women also own land where they can set up poultry farming. This also includes having access to other essential resources like water and other production materials. Land ownership, however, is one of the biggest factors in the success of poultry farming.
Governments and other key organizations can do so much to help women in terms of having access to land. This involves proposing policies that support access to land and other kinds of property while seeking to negotiate for joint titling.
Women also need legal advisory services to facilitate land ownership and help defend their rights. They may also be encouraged to participate in country and global policy processes. This can be done by organizing strategy consultations among women within the community.
Offer Opportunities for Continuing Education
There are many aspects of poultry production. For one, there is the hands-on part of being involved in feeding, pest management, and others daily. There is also the need to coordinate with the staff and ensure concerns are addressed accordingly.
Women should learn how to handle the different aspects of the poultry business, including how to market their products and the latest technologies to use in the poultry farm.
Training and education are important and highly recommended. This includes literacy training to help women become more empowered when making key decisions.
For those just getting started, learning the basics of starting a poultry farm without prior experience could be easier. Programs, continuous education, and other resources should be available for women to learn and grow in their leadership roles within the industry.
Final Thoughts
Without empowering women, they will face limited opportunities to take on more active roles in farming and poultry production. Women have the potential to take on leadership roles in the poultry industry.
Giving them a voice and supporting them every step of the way is a good start to making it happen. Only then can there be an inclusive environment where diversity is embraced.