Yesterday ARAG-Asaja held the ‘Women, territory and generation’ conference to address the challenges and opportunities in the rural world (both in the agricultural field … and livestock as in the economic, social and professional) on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Rural Women that will take place tomorrow.
The meeting took place at Bodegas Pastor Díaz in Aldeanueva de Ebro and consisted of a dialogue led by the communication manager of this organization, Ana Torrecillas, which included the participation of the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of the Government of La Rioja, Noemí Manzanos; the president of the Regulatory Council of the DOCa Rioja, Raquel Pérez; the president of the PDO Aceite de La Rioja, Beatriz Martínez; the farmer, rancher and member of the board of directors of ARAG-Asaja, Verónica Vidorreta; and the journalist specialized in the Rioja agricultural sector, Leire Díez. Women from different municipalities of La Rioja linked to rural areas attended, as well as members of the board of directors of the aforementioned entity led by its president, Eduardo Pérez.
Beatriz Martínez commented in statements made to Diario LA RIOJA, that “there has been progress on the issue of women’s visibility from about twenty years ago to where we are now.”
He put on the table that “people who join agriculture have more training and a more business vision. As far as I am concerned, the olive grove is a crop that is easy to manage and that helps with family conciliation, which is very important. It is also added that oil is a daily consumption good. Those of us who are in the sector have to spread a lot of information and let people know the different types of oil and the importance of consuming a good product, an extra virgin, compared to others.
«I joined agriculture eleven years ago and the biggest challenge was posed by the administration because I was a woman and questioned whether I could be in charge of a farm. In that sense there does not have to be any difference with a man,” said the president of Aceite de La Rioja.
Always there, but invisible
“It is said that the world of wine in general, both viticulture and enology, has been dominated by men, but I believe that is not one hundred percent true because it is a very family business and there were always women both in the field and in the winery, but they were not visible, they were behind, contributing,” said Raquel Pérez.
“For me, visibility and ownership are changing since they were not listed as owners either and now there is a wonderful movement of young female winegrowers, both through inheritances (previously the male inherited) and women’s projects in Rioja and more women than men are studying oenology,” added the president of the DOCa Rioja.
“There is a lack of more women in management positions but they are arriving little by little and there is something fundamental, which is training, to make the sector a very professional and egalitarian world,” Pérez stressed. «Women in the rural world must have the ability to choose without restricting other opportunities and implying resignations. Not only in the field of agriculture and livestock, also in other sectors (teaching, medicine…)”, he concluded.
Verónica Vidorreta stated that “today we do not have the problems we had before because we are farmers or ranchers. I don’t think they look down on us for being in charge of farms. In my case I am lucky to share it with my husband, but if it were just mine it would be equally well regarded. For her, the excessive bureaucracy when caring for the animals and cultivating the fields is the biggest drawback, in addition to the increase in production costs that reduces performance.
«I had been in a supermarket and a factory before. It has nothing to do with this experience, which has been a great change, for the better. On the other hand, in rural areas we continue with the day-to-day problems of services (transport, doctors) that are great for someone who wants to live here,” he concludes.
Source: www.larioja.com
