209-303 Rural Women

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Semester

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Subject Description

On completion of this subject students should be able to:

• understand the nature and extent of Australian farm women's involvement in agricultural production;

• analyze the economic value of the work done by women on farms;

• devise strategies appropriate for agribusinesses and service providers to successfully target 52% of the market - Australian women;

• recognise the role of rural women in sustaining rural communities, often in the absence of government services;

• and examine the issues of leadership and representation.

Through the ten topics and extensive collection of reader articles this subject covers many of the major issues concerning rural women and the nature and economic value of their contribution to agricultural production. Topics include:

• the definition and visibility of rural women's work;

• paid and unpaid work on farms;

• off farm and in the community;

• the economic viability of family farms;

• higher levels of formal qualifications and the link to farm profitability;

• barriers to education;

• women farmers in the media;

• and leadership issues.

The important implications of these issues for agribusinesses and rural service providers are emphasized.

Assessment

Three assignments - one case study 1,000 words (20%); one minor essay 1,500 words (30%); one major essay 3,000 words (50%).