Women on… Combine Harvesters? Women as Farm Operators in Contemporary Poland
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2478/v10130-012-0001-zKeywords
women, farm operators, education, market position, entrepreneur, style of farmingAbstract
The authors discuss the main characteristics of women as farm operators using national sample studies conducted in 1994, 1999 and 2007. After an analysis of literature and various research results some hypotheses were formulated, i.e.: the better education of rural women than rural men, women as “unnatural” or “forced” farm operators due to various household circumstances, the “weaker” economic status of farms operated by women. Basic results of the studies carried out in 1994, 1999 and 2007 confirm the hypothesis about the weaker economic position of female operated farms. Moreover, women farm operators were slightly older and far better educated than their male counterparts. On the contrary, the males were more active off the farms in the public sphere. In addition, the circumstances of becoming farm operators did not differ significantly between males and females. Finally, there were no significant differences between “male” and “female” styles of farming.
References
Alston, M., Wilkinson J. 1998. ‘Australian Farm Women – Shut out or Fenced in? The Lack of Women in Agricultural Leadership’. Sociologia Ruralis. Vol. 38 (3): 391–408. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-9523.00085
Brandth B, Haugen M. S. 1997. ‘Rural Women, Feminism and the Politics of Identity’. Sociologia Ruralis. Vol. 37 (3): 325–344. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9523.1997.tb00054.x
Brandth, B., Haugen M. S. 1998. ‘Breaking into a Masculine Discourse. Women and Farm Forestry’. Sociologia Ruralis. Vol. 38 (3): pp. 427–442. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-9523.00087
Brodziński, Z., Lewczuk A. 1996. ‘Aktualne kierunki i tendencje w rozwoju przedsiębiorczości kobiet wiejskich’ (‘Current trends in the entrepreneurial development of rural women’). Wieś i Rolnictwo. Vol. 93 (4): 102–116.
Chyłek, E., Lewczuk A. 1996. ‘Społeczna sylwetka przedsiębiorczych kobiet wiejskich’ (‘A social profile of entrepreneurial rural women’). Wieś i Rolnictwo. Vol. 93 (4): 86–101.
Fedyszak-Radziejowska, B. 1996. ‘Postawy kobiet wiejskich wobec przedsiębiorczości’ (‘Rural women’s attitudes towards entrepreneurship’). Wieś i Rolnictwo. Vol. 93 (4): 30– 4.
Flora, C. 1988. ‘Public Policy and Women in Agricultural Production; A Comparative Analysis’. Haney, W. G., Knowles J. B. (eds.), Women and Farming. Changing Roles, Changing Structures. Boulder and London: Westview Press.
Gorlach, K. 2001. Świat na progu domu. Rodzinne gospodarstwa rolne w Polsce w obliczu globalizacji (The World at one’s doorstep. Family farms in Poland in the light of globalisation). Kraków: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego.
Gorlach, K. 2009. W poszukiwaniu równowagi. Polskie rodzinne gospodarstwa rolne w Unii Europejskiej. (In search of equilibrium. Polish family farms in the European Union). Kraków: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego.
Gutkowska, K. 2004. ‘Kobiety wiejskie w procesie transformacji polskiej gospodarki’ (‘Rural women during the transformation of the Polish economy’). Wieś i Rolnictwo. Vol. 122 (1): 80–99.
Kaczor-Pańków, G. 1996. ‘Aktywność społeczno-zawodowa kobiet i ich rola w społeczności wiejskiej’ (‘Women’s socio-professional activity and their role in the rural environment’). Wieś i Rolnictwo. Vol. 93 (4): 12–21.
Lamarche, H. (ed.) 1992. Rolnictwo rodzinne. Międzynarodowe studium porównawcze. Część I – Rzeczywistość polimorficzna (Family agriculture. An international comparative study. Part I. Polymorphic reality). Warszawa: IRWiR PAN.
Modelmog, I. 1998. ‘Nature as a Promise of Happiness. Farmers’ Wives in the Area of Ammersland, Germany’. Sociologia Ruralis. Vol. 38 (1): 109–122. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-9523.00066
Mydlak, M. 1996. ‘Społeczne uwarunkowania przedsiębiorczości kobiet wiejskich’ (‘The social conditions of rural women’s entrepreneurship’). Wieś i Rolnictwo. Vol. 93 (4): 70–84.
Ostrowski, L. 1998. ‘Gospodarstwa rolne prowadzone przez kobiety’ (‘Farms run by women’). Wieś i Rolnictwo. Vol. 101 (4): 119–131.
Ostrowski, L. 1994. ‘Gospodarstwa prowadzone przez kobiety’ (‘Farms run by women’). Wieś i Rolnictwo. Vol. 84–85 (3–4): 44–53.
Perepeczko, B. 1996. ‘Rola środków masowego przekazu w procesie edukacji i emancypacji kobiet wiejskich’ (‘The role of the media during the process of education and emancipation of rural women’). Wieś i Rolnictwo. Vol. 93 (4): 22–29.
Shortall, S. 1996. ‘Training to be Farmers or Wives? Agricultural Training for Women in Northern Ireland’. Sociologia Ruralis. Vol. 36 (3): 269–285. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9523.1996.tb00022.x
Shortall, S. 2002. ‘Gendered Agricultural and Rural Restructuring: A Case Study of Northern Ireland’. Sociologia Ruralis. Vol. 42 (2): 160–175. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-9523.00208
Tryfan, B. 1987. Kwestia kobieca na wsi (Women’s issues in the countryside). Warszawa: IRWiR PAN.
Tryfan, B. 1996. Ochrona socjalna rodziny wiejskiej (The social welfare of rural families). Warszawa: IRWiR PAN.
Van der Ploeg, J. D. 2003. The Virtual Farmer. Past, Present and Future of the Dutch Peasantry. Assen: Royal Van Gorcum. http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=000247213600007&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=b7bc2757938ac7a7a821505f8243d9f3
Ventura, F. 1995. ‘Styles of beef cattle breeding in resource-use efficiency in Umbria’, in: Van der Ploeg, J. D., Van Dijk, G. (eds), Beyond Modernization: The Impact of Endogenous Rural Development. Assen: Van Gorcum & Company, pp. 219–232.
Wells, B. L. 1998. ‘Creating a Public Space for Women in US Agriculture: Empowerment, Organisation and Social Change’. Sociologia Ruralis. Vol. 38 (1): 371–390. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-9523.00084
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 312
Number of citations: 1
