he National Farmers' Federation (NFF) is proud to mark International Women's Day 2023 by opening applications its Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program.
The flagship program provides mentoring for women who want to play a leading role in shaping the future of Australian agriculture.
It will give 12 aspiring women from across the country the chance to clarify their goals and determine their own pathway to achieving them.
NFF President Fiona Simson said the program, now in its sixth year, had built a reputation across the agriculture industry for curating the confidence and skills to elevate women in their careers.
"Mentoring is a powerful way to build leadership skills and is what sets our program apart. It connects emerging leaders with established trailblazers, allowing them to share knowledge, experience and tap into new networks," Ms Simson said.
The Program's 52-member alumni are creating transformational change in the agricultural industry through new leadership positions, board nominations and having newfound confidence to deliver a fresh perspective.
"This program is delivering real impact, with a recent survey revealing more than half of our alumni have gained board positions since graduating.
"I am proud of the progress agriculture is making in levelling up the gender gap in leadership positions.
"In 2016 I was elected as the first female President of the NFF in its 40-year history. Now, another three women sit alongside me, giving Australia's peak farming body a 50/50 gender balance."
This year's International Women's Day theme is DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality, a theme, Ms Simson said, aligned with modern agriculture, an industry embracing technology and being on the forefront of innovation.
The Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program is made possible through the support of 36 committed partners, including multi-national corporations, advocacy bodies and government, all who are leading by example in ensuring diverse voices are represented and championed within their organisations.
The Program requires each partner to make a public pledge towards meaningful change in gender diversity and commits to reporting on their progress annually.
"The NFF's 2030 Roadmap has set a goal to double the number of women in agriculture's leadership roles by 2030," Ms Simson said.
"In 2018, only 18% of leadership roles were represented by women in agriculture. Through the determination of our partners and the progress they've made on their own leadership goals, our partners now have an average of 38.7% female leadership representation within their organisations."
