More women taking part in farm programme

Agri-Women's Development Trust executive director Lindy Nelson.

A national programme to increase profitability and productivity of sheep and beef farmers by strengthening farming partnerships is being scaled up to reach 2800 New Zealand farms.

Since 2014, almost 500 women involved in sheep and beef farming businesses have completed the Understanding Your Farming Business (UYFB) programme, designed and delivered by the Agri-Women's Development Trust (AWDT).

This includes 50 women who last month graduated from the similar AWDT programme for Māori women, Wāhine Māia Wāhine Whenua.

The four-month programme, funded by the Red Meat Profit Partnership (RMPP), builds business and communication skills, and confidence of farming women, empowering them to view themselves and their farming roles differently and help lift farm performance.

Extension of the RMPP funding will enable another 2300 women to do the course over the next four years.

AWDT executive director Eketahuna's Lindy Nelson said the trust had seen increased demand from women and men, and graduates were now making a big impact in their businesses.

"Constant evaluation and ongoing research shows that graduates are going back to their businesses and creating new momentum in their farming partnerships," she said. "They are asking new questions, and offering new thinking and skills.

"This is not only about women - it's about the farming partnership and men are highly-supportive of women's increased involvement.

"We're seeing men encouraging their partners to do the programme and then feeling supported themselves as partners become increasingly involved in discussions, operational strategy and decision making."

RMPP is a Primary Growth Partnership programme aimed at driving sustainable productivity improvements in the sheep and beef sector to deliver higher on-farm profitability.

- Registrations for the 2017 programmes are now open at www.awdt.org.nz