The Agriculture & Food Council (AFC) is conducting a research project called Success for Women in Agri-Food (#S4WAg) to identify and assess barriers rural Alberta women entrepreneurs face and to develop a pilot program that will support the engagement of women in the growing regional food economy and policy discussions.
“Women play key roles in the diversification and value-added businesses in the regional food system in rural Alberta. Participating in regional food systems not only creates economic growth for a region, but also provides entrepreneurs an opportunity to create value-added food adding to the long-term sustainability of their business,” says Bryanna Kumpula, AFC executive director. “AFC is seeking to examine a pilot project model that enables today’s high-growth agriculture-based women entrepreneurs the ability to seek out the expertise they need, providing them with the resources, skills and networks to optimize opportunities for success.”
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The project involves a comprehensive assessment of the current situation facing women involved in agriculture, food entrepreneurism and policy development. It will engage stakeholders through survey responses, interviews, and focus groups, assisting in the development of a pilot program to help more rural Alberta women become successfully engaged in the regional food and agriculture economy and policy discussions.
“This project, focused on rural Alberta women entrepreneurs, will be carried out in five areas across the province,” explains Heather Broughton, S4Wag community animator for AFC. “We encourage women to contribute their input by participating in the survey available on our website.”
For more information on the Success for Women in Agri-Food project visit agfoodcouncil.com/s4wag.
