Women managed 6.5% of the utilised agricultural area in Cyprus in 2023, below the European Union average, according to data published by Eurostat on Thursday.
Across the EU, the share of agricultural land under women’s management reached 17.2%. Eurostat notes that farms managed by women are more likely to be relatively small. At the same time, generational renewal could gradually increase women’s participation in larger and more commercially oriented farming systems.
Of the 241 NUTS 2 regions for which data were available, 134, or 55.6%, recorded a share of agricultural land under women’s management below the EU average.
The lowest share was recorded in Friesland in the Netherlands, where women managed 2.7% of the utilised agricultural area, or about 6,000 hectares. The highest was in Upper Austria, where the share was 42.5%, or about 211,600 hectares.
International Year of the Woman Farmer
In total, 25 NUTS 2 regions recorded a share of at least 28.5%. Most were in Italy, with 11 regions. Greece and Austria had four each, while Spain had three.
The highest shares in those countries were recorded in Molise in Italy, the North Aegean in Greece, Upper Austria, and the Principality of Asturias in Spain.
At the lower end of the distribution, 12 EU regions had a share below 5%. These included 10 of the 12 Dutch regions, Åland in Finland at 3.6%, and Southern Denmark at 4.9%.
Eurostat also notes that the United Nations has declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer. The aim is to highlight women’s role throughout the food chain, from production to consumption, and to promote action to reduce gender gaps and improve the living conditions of women in the agricultural sector.
Source: CNA
