Asaja Alicante Promotes Female Leadership in Agriculture with 'Herederas del Campo' Event

Taking on the family project was a great responsibility for me," said young Sofía Cañizares, 27, the first woman in five generations of viticulturists, during the "Herederas del Campo, Creadoras de Futuro" event organized by ASAJA Mujeres Alicante in collaboration with the Diputación de Alicante in Salinas, attended by over 70 female farmers and ranchers from across the province.

This young farmer and oenologist from Salinas already has her own wine, crafted from three selected vineyards, each with a unique personality. These are located in the Alto Vinalopó region, known for its calcareous soils that provide freshness and minerality. Sofía notes that her father, who runs the Rafa Cañizares winery, has been a great support in taking this step, saying, "without my family, it wouldn't have been possible."

She, along with three other rural women from Alicante, were the protagonists of a discussion moderated by Alicante journalist Elena Vidal, about the challenges they face in their activities, family reconciliation, existing taboos in a traditionally male-dominated profession, the growing importance of digitalization, and the bureaucratic hurdles they encounter daily with various administrations.

María Dolores Navarro, responsible for cheese production at Quesería Los Molinos (Monóvar), shares that while her husband is a rancher, she decided during the pandemic to step up, train, and learn about the world of cheese. "Everyone does what they are good at, and we both complement our activities to be more profitable," she explains. "Moreover, I'm lucky that my daughters manage our social media."

A family project where everyone plays a role, starting with excellent raw materials, a herd of Murciano-Granadina goats that produce high-quality milk. Navarro confesses that ranching is an activity that requires you 365 days a year. "We've given up many things; in fact, my eldest daughter went to the beach for the first time at eight years old." Despite any inconvenience, she admits her passion for what she does, "I can't leave it because it's mine, what drives me."

Similarly, Rosa Morató and Rosa Server (Adsubia), mother and daughter beekeepers of Mieles Meleca, maintain that "the most important thing is to surround yourself with a good team to make the business work." The daughter, 27, says she is proud to preserve her grandfather's traditions and aims to pass them on to future generations.

"Professional beekeeping is disappearing; the Valencian Community is losing the most hives because there are so many obstacles that people go to work elsewhere." Her mother, Rosa, asserts that when her husband left beekeeping due to a health issue, everyone asked if she had a son to continue the business. And she would say, "I have a son, but also a daughter." Fortunately, both have proven that beekeeping is not just a man's job. "In difficult times, it is passion and unity that allow you to continue."

They all agree that one of the biggest problems in the incorporation of young people and women into the agricultural sector is bureaucracy; many abandon their projects.

"We want to empower women and know where we want to go," stated Tere Antón, president of ASAJA Mujeres Alicante, who recalls that without the path of their predecessors, they wouldn't be here.

Traditionally, we visualize men doing these tasks, with women in the background. However, we increasingly find more women dedicated to agriculture and interested in it, but there is still much work to be done. One of the trends most observed is women leading their own projects, even if they maintain a family connection. "They bring a new, innovative air, more connected to the needs of today's society," says Antón.

ASAJA Alicante believes that the biggest challenge for the agricultural sector in the future is profitability and the incorporation of young people and women into the field, both deeply related. "Administrations must implement public policies that think of them, with access to training and financing, awareness, shared ownership, promotion of female entrepreneurship, and improvement of infrastructure and services.

During the event, members of the Salinas municipal corporation participated, such as María Rosario Cremades, councilor for Education, Culture, and Youth, who emphasized the importance of "focusing with justice and sensitivity on the indispensable role of rural women."

The inauguration was led by the Diputación de Alicante, represented by Carlos Pastor, from the area of economic development and productive sectors: "The invisibility of rural women has been a constant over time: despite their daily involvement in family farms, many do not appear as owners or have full economic rights. It is time to completely reverse this situation by listening to a new generation of rural women, entrepreneurs, and leaders of sustainable and innovative projects that favor the continuity of the agricultural sector."

The director of Water from the Conselleria de Agricultura, Sabina Goretti, attended the closing to encourage female farmers and ranchers and announce greater support from the Consell in this area following the approval of the new budgets.

Additionally, mentor Carmen Ortiz delivered the talk "Agriculture with a Woman's Name: Leadership and Passion Driving the Field," offering keys for them to feel secure despite the sector's challenges, such as water scarcity and climate issues, among others.