Investigating the economic visibility and contribution of UK women in agriculture through a systematic review of international literature

Dunne, Chloe; Siettou, Christie; Wilson, Paul

Abstract

The agricultural sector in developed countries has been experiencing a growth in the percentage of women, yet very little economic research documents the role and contribution of farm women across these countries. Through an interdisciplinary systematic literature review of 184 international peer-reviewed, English-language studies between 1970 and 2020 we investigate the economic contribution and visibility of women working in the agricultural sector in the United Kingdom (UK). Differences within farm women as a group are explored and used to develop a framework characterising the different economic classifications of farm women across a spectrum of economic contribution and visibility. A comparison of the economic contributions of farm men and women also reveals key differences between farming practices and outcomes. As such, the study reveals key barriers to women's economic participation and visibility in agriculture to be associated with access to land, education and organisations. These factors are evaluated in the context of wider policy. The outcomes of this study increase understanding of factors shaping women's economic contribution and visibility in UK agriculture and will inform further research investigating female participation in agricultural business management and decision making. As the UK formulates its own domestic agricultural acts, UK-wide research will be needed to inform policy and overcome barriers facing women in farming.

Citation

Dunne, C., Siettou, C., & Wilson, P. (2021). Investigating the economic visibility and contribution of UK women in agriculture through a systematic review of international literature. Journal of Rural Studies, 86, 330-345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2021.06.012

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 10, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Jun 30, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Deposit Date: Jun 16, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 31, 2022
• Journal: Journal of Rural Studies
• Print ISSN: 0743-0167
• Electronic ISSN: 1873-1392
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 86
• Pages: 330-345
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2021.06.012
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5687671
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S074301672100187X