This year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) occurs in the International Year of the Woman Farmer, so it’s an excellent opportunity to consider the vast and extraordinary contribution women have long made to life on the land.
One farmer who is helping to inspire women in the sector is Kara-Glenn Worth, an organic banana producer and digital ag innovation consultant at the Tropical North Queensland (TNQ) Drought Hub.
Ms Worth has grown up with agriculture woven into her everyday life as a fourth-generation primary producer from Innisfail, Queensland.
“Agriculture needs diverse voices and the sector is stronger when women lead with authenticity and confidence, “she said.
“My upbringing was centred around the farm: observing cycles, the hard work and the community that agriculture sustains.
“Living and working in a space that contributes so genuinely to my community fuels my passion to preserve traditional farming knowledge while embracing innovation.”
“Both agriculture and agtech are traditionally male dominated fields, so I have had to navigate a double layer.
“On the farm, female roles are often overlooked compared to core production tasks, while in tech spaces similar biases can emerge.
“Early in my career I often let my work speak for itself. Those experiences built resilience and strengthened my advocacy for inclusive access to resources and recognition of women in agriculture.
Currently 34.9% of agricultural employees are female, often bringing a holistic and adaptive perspective to farming.
“Our attentiveness and ability to understand and connect mean we can often create solutions that truly work, by balancing farms, careers, families and personal ambitions.”
Ms Worth said the most rewarding part of agriculture is the connection to place and community.
Her message to the next generation of women entering agriculture is simple.
“Claim your space without apology, walk into every room with the full weight of your lived experience and refuse to shrink to outdated expectations.”
