Female Farmers of the Future

The ‘Female Farmers of the Future’ project will build the skills, confidence, and leadership qualities of one selected female participant to boost drought resilience. This woman will be guided by industry professionals and leading researchers to select and implement a commercially available agri-tech system on-farm to improve the economic, environmental, and social wellbeing outcomes.

They will then share their knowledge and experience with other like-minded women in their local region at a community workshop. Women are socially conditioned to be caregivers, project managers, problem solvers, and initiative takers, which position them as great change-makers to lead the adoption of AgTech in Australia and catch up to the rest of the world.

A female from a non-farming background that has entered the agricultural industry will be selected to test and help establish a process model for other women who have followed a similar path. This model will have the potential to be rolled out on a national scale to harness the capacity of women in other agricultural-dependent communities across Australia to improve drought and community resilience, and farm performance.

To be eligible to participate you must be:

  • Female,
  • 18 years or older,
  • Have entered the agricultural industry from a non-farming background (i.e., you did not grow up on a farm or agricultural property)

Benefits to the participant:

  • $5,000 cash contribution to purchase and install a commercially available agri-tech system,
  • Access to industry professionals and leading researchers that will mentor you through the selection and installation of the agri-tech system,
  • Increased skills, confidence, and leadership experience,
  • Opportunities to share your experience with like-minded women who have followed a similar path.

What is involved in the program?

The Application Phase involves the completion of an online application survey. 5-10 applicants will be short-listed based on their responses and asked to share more about themselves in an interview. The most suitable applicant will then be invited to participate in the program.

The Implementation Phase will involve industry professionals and researchers mentoring you through the process of identifying and setting up an agri-tech system to set your farm with better drought resilience. You will receive a $5,000 cash contribution towards the purchase and installation of this technology on-farm. As part of the program, you will be asked to record your reflections on your progress once a month in an experience journal. At the end of the program, you and your mentor/s will be interviewed by the research team to evaluate the success of the program.

The Extension Phase will involve you sharing your agri-tech journey with other like-minded women during a workshop to be held in your local community. This event will be organised and hosted by the project team.

Key dates

Applications close: 16 September 2022
Selection interviews: 26 – 30 September 2022
Successful applicant announced: 7 October 2022
Participant mentoring process: October – April 2023
Local community workshop: May 2023

The ‘Female Farmers of the Future’ project is funded by: