Friday, March 29, 2024

Courses help women add value

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Demand from women for new skills and confidence in their farming businesses shows no sign of abating with a national programme set to scale up for the third successive year.
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Funded by the Red Meat Profit Partnership (RMPP) and delivered by the Agri-Women’s Development Trust (AWDT), the Understanding Your Farming Business (UYFB) programme builds financial and communication skills that empower farming women to contribute more strongly to their businesses.

RMPP chairman Malcolm Bailey said the programme supports women in their role as critical farming partners by building on their business knowledge, skills and confidence.

“We are offering more women than ever before the opportunity to learn new business skills to help lift the overall performance of farm businesses and the sector,” Bailey said. 

By the end of the year more than 1300 women will have completed the programme, which aims to reach 2800 farming businesses, about 25% of New Zealand’s sheep and beef farms, by 2020. 

A total of 44 individual programmes will be delivered next year in rural centres by AWDT’s team of 24 financial and communication experts.

They include five Wahine Maia Wahine Whenua programmes for Maori women who are trustees or involved on-farm. 

A third of the 700 available places on the 2019 programmes were snapped up within two weeks of registrations opening.

AWDT executive director Lindy Nelson said stronger farming partnerships are being created as a result of the programme.

“We know that when both farming partners are able to grow their business knowledge, on-farm profitability gains are made. 

“This is clearly the case with our graduates and we are now facing demand from farming men for similar development.” 

Former lawyer, now farming business partner, Trudy Riddell completed the UYFB programme in May.

She and her husband Charlie farm a 1250 hectare sheep and beef property near Dannevirke.

Riddell was drawn to the AWDT programme through a desire to understand and learn how she could get involved and be useful in their farming business.

“A friend had done the course and said how valuable it had been in understanding the business her husband runs. 

“I grew up in Gisborne, had no farming background, went to work in law in Auckland for eight years then met Charlie while working in Hawke’s Bay.

“Farming was a huge new venture for me and I didn’t know what I could do to add value to our farm business. The course ultimately had me realise I could add a lot of value, it gave me confidence and skills to get involved and now I can be useful in off-farm administration, financials and planning.”

Inspired by the programme the couple joined a RMPP discussion group and went on to complete an AWDT, RMPP-funded Future Focus programme.

“It’s all been hugely valuable and encouraging for us and the value we have added to our partnership is the future of our farming business. 

“I strongly encourage others to pick up on these courses while they are available,” Riddell said.

Business consultant and Te Ahu Consulting director Melanie Sweet completed the Wahine programme in Kaikohe in May.

Sweet, who provides strategic and project management services to the Te Hiku Maori Farming Co-operative comprising five business owner groups covering nine dry stock farming units across 10,000ha carrying 50,000 stock units, saw the programme as a chance to help find her roots back home.

“It’s been a journey for me coming home to NZ after 25 years working in Australia.

“I wanted to find my roots and be the best I can as I get involved with my own iwi community.”

Sweet is passionate about making a difference to Maori and believes her experience together with new lessons from the programme will help her do that.

“I have a greater appreciation of all our farmers and it was key in taking on this role. I needed to understand the agriculture sector and on-farm management to ensure I could engage with farmers with due respect.  

“The AWDT has given me confidence and also connected me with other industry leaders and it’s also been very useful in taking on governance roles as I sit around decision-making tables.”

Sweet has bought a small block of land at Takahue with future plans to develop it into a community organic unit, contributing to the betterment of Maori long-term.

MORE:

Registrations for both the UYFB and Wahine 2019 programmes are now open at www.awdt.org.nz

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