What is the situation of agriculture in Spain?
‘In Spain, agriculture continues to be a strategic sector due to its economic, social, territorial and environmental role,’ says the Confederation of Rural Women’s Associations (CERES). Agriculture accounts for approximately 2.5 % of Spain's GDP, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), and the primary sector employs 3.6 % of the working population, according to the Active Population Survey. Both domestic production and exports, especially to European markets, are the mainstays of the agri-food sector's value.
According to the Yearbook of Statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), land used for crops occupied 32.8 % of Spain's total surface area in 2023. The types of crops are very diverse, and each region has its own speciality. In general terms, arable crops—temporary crops and vegetable gardens—account for the bulk of the cultivated area, with cereals being the most prominent. Among permanent crops—those maintained for long periods without being replanted after each harvest—olive groves lead the group.
It should be noted that Spain is one of the countries with the largest area of organic production in both the European Union and the world, topping the list in both rankings for organic olive groves and first in the world for organic vineyards. This is indicated in The World of Organic Agriculture 2025.
Why has the UN has declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer, and what are the implications?
The General Assembly of the United Nations declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer to ‘highlight the essential role that women play in agri-food systems [...], despite the fact that they are often not recognised’. The aim is to raise awareness not only of women farmers and the obstacles they face, but also of women producers, peasants, fisherwomen, beekeepers, shepherdesses, holders of traditional knowledge... and many others.
The Year of Women Farmers is celebrated alongside the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. The aim is for both commemorations to reinforce each other, highlighting the role of women and pastoral communities in conserving land, feeding the population and promoting climate resilience. All of this is encompassed and recognised in the United Nations Decade of Family Farming 2019–2028 for the promotion of inclusive policies and investments in favour of family farming.
‘Evidence shows that the gender gap in agricultural resources is directly linked to higher rates of hunger and poverty, especially in lower-income countries. The declaration aims to place this issue on the global agenda, promote public policies and strengthen women's participation in decision-making,’ says Raquel Ajates, César Nombela researcher in the Department of Sociology II at UNED.
Ending the gender gap in agri-food systems would prevent 45 million people from suffering food insecurity and increase global GDP by 1%, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).
Political priorities tend to go hand in hand with budgetary priorities, as well as the strengthening of ‘coalitions between administrations, universities, cooperatives and the private sector for demonstration projects’, in the words of Ignacio de los Ríos, director of the GESPLAN research group at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. He cites as an example the ‘landing’ in 2026 of the ‘Rural Women 2026 Plan’, a project in various territories of 12 countries within the framework of the FAO. This has been designed based on the work of the Network of Universities and Companies Committed to the Principles of Responsible Investment in Agriculture (RU-IRA network) and the Metauniversity, a ‘university of universities’ to promote sustainable development.
The UN has also called on the world's population to participate in the Year of Women Farmers, and activities in this regard are planned throughout 2026.
Ajates concludes: ‘Although an international year does not change reality on its own, it does create a framework that facilitates commitments and can drive long-term transformations if accompanied by investments, coordinated strategies and specific policies.’
Blanca Corroto, president of the Agricultural Association of Young Farmers (ASAJA) Women, adds: ‘We must also take advantage of it ourselves: sharing experiences, learning from each other and continuing to lead change in our communities.’
What is the current situation of women farmers in Spain?
The rural environment in Spain is dominated by men. The employment rate for men is higher than for women —53.7 % for men and 41.9% for women—, a proportion that is reversed in the unemployment rate —9% for men and 13.2 % for women—. Furthermore, the ratio of employed men to women (masculinity index) in rural areas is higher than in cities—103.8 men for every 100 women in rural municipalities and 94.7 men for every 100 women in urban municipalities. Women represent almost a third of the agricultural workforce.
However, for de los Ríos, ‘the most reliable picture for understanding the role of women in the countryside is not only employment, but who manages and makes decisions.’ According to data from the INE's 2020 Agricultural Census, of the total number of heads of agricultural holdings, 28.6 % were women, 22 % more than in the previous census conducted in 2009. ‘Farms managed by women have less land and lower economic output,’ adds Ajates. In many cases, agricultural tasks are compounded by the burden of domestic and family tasks, which fall more heavily on women than on men.
And worldwide?
Globally, women represent approximately 40 % of the agricultural workforce, according to FAO data from 2021, with higher proportions in developing countries.
“This means that almost half of all agricultural work worldwide depends on the efforts of women,” state representatives from CERES. “Without them, there would be no production, no processing, and no functioning local markets,” adds de los Ríos.
The heavier workload at home is also widespread. Worldwide, women spend 2.5 times more hours per day on unpaid domestic and care work than men, according to the UN.
What is the economic contribution of women farmers?
Women make up a substantial share of agricultural labour and sustain a large part of food production. However, ‘in Spain, there are no official data that accurately reflect the economic value generated by women farmers, which poses a challenge in terms of visibility’, they say from CERES point out. According to de los Ríos, ‘the statistical system does not always allow the value to be disaggregated by sex directly, because accounting is recorded by farm/business and value chains’.
The expert does highlight the possibility of estimating economic weight based on the nearly 30 % of female farm holders: ‘The economic impact of their decisions is structural, even if their share of total value is not identical due to differences in farm size, production orientation or access to capital’. Added to this is the 40 % share of the agricultural workforce, which ‘implies a massive contribution to production and to rural economies, especially in regions where agriculture remains the main employer’.
What challenges do women farmers face?
Women farmers face structural challenges and have worse working conditions than men, which is why the International Year of the Woman Farmer ‘is also a wake-up call’, in the words of Corroto.
They experience unequal access to land and productive resources. Representatives from CERES highlight that ‘they are often less visible in official data and decision-making’ and that many ‘perform unregistered or family work without full recognition as professionals in the sector.’ As a result, this work is not formally remunerated. Financing gaps also persist.
‘Regarding public support, various reports from agricultural organisations point out that farms managed by women receive a substantially smaller proportion of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding, both in direct payments and rural development grants,’ says Ajates. Corroto also mentions access to credit as one of the barriers they face.
Women farmers also have fewer opportunities for training and access to technology, which limits their decision-making power, autonomy, and productivity. On top of all this is the double burden of domestic and care work, a common issue in rural areas, according to CERES.
Climate change also affects them, particularly. CERES states: ‘Rural women are especially vulnerable because they depend directly on natural resources and often lack supporting infrastructure.’
Overall, such inequalities mean that ‘the productivity and resilience of their farms, or family production units, tend to be more fragile,’ says de los Ríos. As a further consequence, the actual economic weight is reduced. On average, women working as agricultural wage labourers earn 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, according to FAO.
What role play and how do women farmers contribute to their communities?
Women play an essential role in agri-food systems. Women farmers are crucial for food security and improving nutrition, as they sustain a large part of food production. They are also drivers of economic resilience and pillars of local economies, making them key agents in poverty eradication.
But their role goes far beyond feeding the population. Based on the sources consulted, the list is extensive:
- They build community support networks and play a central role in social cohesion within their territories.
- They lead territorial defence movements, such as associations of Amazonian women, sometimes putting their lives at risk.
- They are guardians and transmitters of agroecological knowledge and practices, including traditional seeds.
- They are responsible for family cohesion, which is key for everyday security and the stability and resilience of rural households.
- They also play a fundamental role in climate resilience, being essential for accelerating the transition to more sustainable agri-food systems.
Corroto is categorical: ‘We are much more than food producers. We are the heart of rural areas. We care for biodiversity, pass on traditional knowledge, and teach new generations to respect the land.’
‘However, it is important to avoid essentialism,’ warns Ajates. ‘It is not solely women’s responsibility to repair the socio-environmental damage caused over more than half a century by industrial agricultural models largely designed by men. […] Their role should not be romanticised, but rather supported with the appropriate resources.’
Are there laws to protect women farmers?
There are national and international frameworks aimed at promoting gender equality and protecting rural rights. At the national level, the Shared Ownership Law stands out, as it legally and economically recognises women’s participation in family farms, although its implementation remains limited. A decade ago, it was anticipated that up to 55,000 farms could benefit from this law. By 2025, around 1,500 farms were registered in the Shared Ownership Registry.
On the other hand, as a positive development, Spain is one of only two EU member states —along with Ireland— that include in their new Strategic Plan (SP) for the CAP 2023-27 the objective of improving women’s participation in agriculture, and one of only five that propose specific measures to support rural women.
Among international frameworks, is worth highlighting the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those on gender equality and ending hunger. The CAP also includes measures to promote gender equality in agriculture, ‘although still in their early stages’, says Ajates. In this regard, the European project GRASS CEILING, focused on gender equality in rural and agricultural innovation systems, presented a report in 2025 with recommendations on inclusive transition policies for agriculture and rural areas.
For CERES, it is crucial to focus on the effective development and implementation of these regulations, ensuring they reach women in their territories—a point also emphasised by Corroto: ‘The reality is that they are not always properly applied, and there is still much to be done to ensure that all women farmers can benefit.’
How has the role of women farmers evolved over the past decades?
CERES states that ‘there has been positive progress, but persistent challenges remain.’ Among the advances they cite are greater access to education and vocational training, increasing social recognition of the role of rural women, and the rise of female leadership. In addition, ‘the concept of co-ownership has improved recognition of women’s work in the sector,’ notes Ajates. In Corroto’s words, women farmers have gone from being ‘invisible helpers’ to beginning to gain prominence.
There are numerous initiatives underway in this regard. The GRASS CEILING project offers a free online course on gender equality in agriculture and rural women. GESPLAN works with rural women to co-create projects in cooperatives, associations, and territories where they learn, make decisions, and lead. At the same time, MAPA provides entrepreneurship training and annually awards the Excellence in Innovation Prizes for rural women.
