Women in agriculture business skills training - focus groups: final report

Highlights

What is the problem we are trying to solve?

This research was carried out to inform the development of two new business skills courses for women living and working in Scottish agriculture. This follows a recommendation made by the Women in Agriculture (WIA) taskforce in their Final Report (2019).^[1]

In their Final Report, the WIA Taskforce recommended increasing opportunities for women in agriculture, including training to improve their confidence and abilities in finance and business skills. There is currently no training available which focuses on agricultural business skills and is targeted solely at women.

What did we do?

We carried out four online focus groups with women in agriculture in March and May 2022. The groups involved a total of 20 participants, including women of different ages and from a range of locations across Scotland who live or work on crofts, farms and in agricultural businesses. Participants were asked to share their feedback on the course design and to speak about their financial and business training needs. This report outlines the main findings from the research and follows the structure of the focus group topic guide.

What did we learn?

We learnt that women carry out a range of financial tasks on their crofts, farms and in agricultural businesses. The majority are 'self-taught' and have not had any formal training. Many lack confidence in carrying out financial tasks. There is a clear need for business skills training specifically for women in agriculture, which introduces them to a range of tools, provides clear guidance and further practical support relevant to the industry. Women who work in businesses of different sizes, from crofts to farms, have different training needs, both in terms of day-to-day financial tasks and long-term decision-making.

Participants gave positive feedback on the proposed course outline for the Women in Agriculture business training, including the progression from financial skills to business knowledge. The courses will benefit attendees by providing an opportunity for them to learn about diversification, sustainability and environmental impacts, and to gain a support network of other women in agriculture to share advice and support in relation to their businesses. This would be particularly beneficial for new entrants to agriculture.

Next steps

The research findings will inform the planning and delivery of two new business skills courses for women living and working in Scottish agriculture, which will be delivered through the Women in Agriculture Development Programme in 2022-23.