Women in agriculture - leadership programme development: research

Annex 2. Case studies of women's development programmes

This section presents summaries of case studies of women's development programmes, particularly within the agricultural sector and in rural contexts. These programmes draw on many of the teaching methods outlined in Chapter 4, and support participants through a combination of group workshops, leadership exercises, individual learning and coaching. They focus on key leadership skills, particularly those key for women in a rural context.

Case study 1: The SE Rural Leadership programme

The SE Rural Leadership Programme is co-delivered by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The programme is aimed at business owners or managers based in rural locations and across various sectors, who want to develop their leadership skills and grow their business. Participants are organised into four regional groups, each with 10 members. The programme includes workshops, group discussion and coaching over six months. The content includes: leadership, communication and influencing workshops; one-to-one coaching sessions; rural innovation team projects and a networking forum, building connections and sharing programme materials. It aims to give participants a clearer focus, desire to make a change, self-understanding, networking opportunities and the confidence to act on their ambitions, whilst giving them tools to understand different personality types.

Leadership sessions focus on topics such as identifying personal strengths and weaknesses, responding in uncertain times, goal setting, stakeholder management, impact, leadership in action, resilience and wellbeing, communication and influence. The programme includes sessions on lobbying politicians, with presentations from key figures from rural Scottish organisations. Participants gain a supportive peer-group, policy and business connections and alumni network.

Case study 2: Landscape Leadership programme

The Landscape Leadership programme is run in partnership by Soil Association Scotland and Scottish Land & Estates. It aims to enable ambitious and forward-looking individuals to take action against the challenges of wildlife collapse and climate change. The programme brings together a network of leaders who want to work collaboratively towards a sustainable land management movement in Scotland. Participants develop the strategic and leadership skills needed to make transformative environmental change at a landscape scale. The pilot programme was delivered over the course of two residential sessions and a series of online webinars between January and October 2020. Leadership coaching between sessions helped participants turn their aspirations into tailored project plans.

Case study 3: Cultivating Leaders, Scottish Association of Young Farmers

Cultivating Leaders is a leadership programme run by the Scottish Association of Young Farmers. It is open to their own members, with 16 places per programme. The programme takes place over six days, with accommodation and meals provided. The programme covers topics including: leadership qualities, visions and goals; succession and difficult conversations; business issues, including cash flows, accounts, budgets; practical activities including filling out a farm business tenancy application and writing a business plan and a farm or industry visit.

Case study 4: Women in Transport Lead programme

The Women in Transport Lead programme is a leadership development programme tailored to women in the transport sector. It is a paid programme that is funded by participants or their organisation, to help them progress in their career. Participants join a cohort from a range of transport and infrastructure organisations to expand their networks through shared learning experiences and a collaborative project. The course is delivered by leadership coaches and Women in Transport members. The programme is designed to grow the leadership capability and confidence of women who are already in, or are aspiring to, leadership roles in the transport sector. It includes six modules and a project over 8 months with a break half-way, and is designed to fit alongside a full time role. The organisers recommend allowing 3-4 hours per week to complete the course work.

The course includes: Individual learning readiness call; Initial group engagement event; pre-work and questionnaires; group learning; peer study groups; three executive coaching sessions; Industry guest speakers; themed informal sessions; Group action based research project; final moving forward workshop; Institute of Leadership and Management Level 5 Leadership qualification; and a Certificate on completion. The inaugural Lead programme launched in April 2021 with a group of women from eight different companies across the transport sector. The feedback from the first cohort was positive, with participants noting the impact of the programme on their confidence, capability and ambition in their current roles.

Case study 5: Empowering Women to Lead Digital Transformation, UK

A leadership programme for women in digital transformation roles, delivered by Empowering You in association with the Scottish Digital Academy, Scottish Government and ScotlandIS. The programme is designed to enable those in early to mid-career roles to become confident, capable and motivated leaders, and aims to build a community of 'emerging' women leaders across digital industry sectors.

The programme is delivered over 3 months, and combines four workshop modules and a team project. Participants work individually and collaboratively to: accelerate their leadership potential and embrace a 'leader as learner' mindset​; explore strategies to understand and engage more effectively with team members and stakeholders; understand and develop their own personal and authentic leadership skills; identify and respond to challenges within the team and organisation; leverage the combined expertise of peers to progress individual and collective growth​ and collaborate to deliver a team challenge project for the women in digital community.

The programme is described as following a 'multi-layered development journey'. It is delivered face-to-face, with group activities and action learning. It includes: an initial group call with the Programme Leader; self-assessment​, two 2-day workshops with around a 6 week gap for coaching, smaller group work and putting learning into action. Guest industry speakers share personal leadership stories, alongside self-directed learning modules between workshops, a coaching workbook and questionnaire, and three individual coaching sessions at different stages of the programme. It also includes a team collaboration challenge for the Scotland digital community, a presentation and on completion all participants receive a certificate.

Case study 6: Principally Women programme, Scottish Enterprise, UK

The Principally Women leadership programme focuses on women in senior positions and middle management in established businesses. The programme is aimed at senior women business leaders in growth companies - including social enterprises - based in Ayrshire, Glasgow and Clyde, and the north east of Scotland. This programme 'recognises that at different life stages, individuals face different social, business, and domestic issues', which 'can limit their ability to influence and lead'. The programme aims to support 'these women at a point in their career where life stage, opportunity and ambition are aligned, but specific skills, knowledge or support may be lacking'. The programme involves: six half-day workshops, one-to-one coaching and conversations with inspiring female leaders.

The Principally Women programme aims to bring together a group of 'like-minded women from different sectors with different skills', and to provide 'an opportunity to share experiences and provide support in a safe environment'. It is described as an opportunity to 'talk openly and freely, to learn about yourself and make new friends and contacts'. The programme is currently being delivered online.

Case study 7: National Sheep Association Next Generation Ambassadors

The Ambassador Group is part of the National Sheep Association's Next Generation programme. Each year, a group of up to 12 people is selected to take part in technical and personal development. Successful applicants are invited to five delivery sessions, and subsequently develop a longstanding relationship with the National Sheep Association (NSA). Ambassadors are selected from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so the initiative provides networking opportunities including the chance to meet key people within the sheep sector. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences with others, for example by joining an NSA regional committee, speaking at farmer meetings, taking on a role within the farming community or getting involved in organising an event.

The programme includes a mix of classroom activities, practical sessions, farm walks and site visits. They challenge the group to think objectively about their own businesses and the wider farming industry. Each session is 2-3 days long and is provided at no charge. Previous topics have included: grassland management and sheep nutrition; on-farm efficiency and profitability; accounts/financial management; sheep handling; ATV driving and maintenance; branding and promotion; time management, negotiation skills and leadership skills and media training.

Case study 8: Agri-Women's Development Trust, New Zealand

Next Level is a six-month leadership and governance development programme run by the Agri-Women's Development Trust in New Zealand, which supports women who are aspiring leaders across the sector, from farmers and growers, to women in support and service industries, community-builders and executives. The course combines facilitated group-work and self-directed learning, and each programme is limited to a cohort of 15 woman. The programme takes place in different regions, in-person and online. Participants are encouraged to: build their confidence; develop a leadership mind-set; find motivation to lead; develop their communication skills and ability to positively influence others; connect with their cohort and create a personalised plan of action, including a governance CV.

The Agri-Women's Development Trust designed Next Level after a review of its research, existing programmes and international best practice – focusing on the creation of a strong support structure to address the challenges women face when taking their skills to the next level. Participants learn the theory and psychology of leadership and communication, and how to turn that knowledge into real-world impact in their areas of interest. Taught modules cover core development areas, including leadership, communication and governance from a personal growth perspective ('Understanding your leadership "WHY"' and 'Your story'); cohorts have several opportunities to meet industry leaders and professionals and build their networks, and receive six months of support from a coach who helps to identify barriers and opportunities. Modules also cover topics such as self-awareness, confidence and assertiveness, personal impact, and networking.

Case study 9: Rural Women's Leadership Programme (RWLP), Nepal

The Rural Women's Leadership Programme is an initiative developed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development to strengthen the role and voice of women leaders in rural organisations, and to recognise the potential of rural women farmers. The programme was implemented in Nepal between 2010-2013 and linked leadership objectives to opportunities, including access to local funding.

The programme was innovative as it targeted women leaders at the grass-roots level. Capacity-building and training were provided, alongside coaching, mentoring and exposure visits, and women recruited through rural organisations were trained to deliver the training to others. Men identified by women as potential advocates were also included in training activities. The content was practical and included: negotiation skills; confidence-building; technical knowledge on agricultural issues; self-development and organisational change. The programme worked with existing women's organisations at multiple scales (e.g. farmer and producer associations), and linked grassroots women leaders to Women's Leadership Circles.

The programme facilitated change in women's attitudes, confidence and capacities, their rural organisations and communities. Women gained respect, developed income-generating activities, reported feeling an increased sense of solidarity, and created support groups. The programme has encouraged women to take more interest in their communities and to engage in rural policy dialogue. Access to local funds and resources provided a strong incentive for participants, who reported that it was easier for them to access funds following the programme, which therefore brought concrete and financial benefits to the women. Challenges included the limited duration of the programme to support sustained behavioural change; weak organisational capacity in gender mainstreaming, and; women's lack of time due to domestic work which limited their participation. An informal network of men was established through the programme to build understanding and advocate for gender equality. The programme demonstrated that training methods need to be adapted according to women's needs and the broader context; programmes should cover leadership skills as well as technical knowledge, and provide women with opportunities to practice their new skills, for instance at events.

Case study 10: Women In Food And Agricultural Leadership Training Forum & Expo, Ghana

The Women In Food And Agricultural Leadership Training Forum and Expo aims to empower women in the agricultural industry in Ghana, where smallholder farmers generate about 80% of total agricultural production. The majority are women, who face challenges including insufficient agricultural training and access to credit facilities, and limited access to markets. An Agrihouse Foundation initiative which is organized in partnership with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and The Women in Agricultural Development Directorate, the event moves to a new region each year, and aims to train and build the capacity of women in agriculture through: mentoring and coaching; focus groups, motivational talks and presentations; knowledge transfer, skills development and training sessions. The events have been highly attended and had a range of positive impacts, including women starting up their own agri-projects, after receiving training, and beginning the process of exporting their produce after receiving guidance.

Case study 11: Gender in Agriculture from Policy to Practice, Honduras

The Gender in Agriculture from Policy to Practice project (2013-2016) was a collaboration between Lutheran World Relief and The Asociación de Organismos No Gubernamentales in Honduras. The project piloted a new methodology that integrates a women's leadership approach with masculinity approaches to advocate for policies that increase women's access to resources for agricultural production.

Whilst at the national level in Honduras there are public policies to support gender equality in agriculture, at a more local level these policies are not implemented effectively, which prevents women from accessing resources that would help them to achieve food security. The project aimed to change this situation by supporting the development of women's leadership skills and changing men's attitudes. Its goal was to enable women and men to advocate for policy changes to address women's needs in the agriculture sector. To achieve this, it built the capacity of nine women's networks representing different communities, to lead and advocate for change. At the same time, the project worked with men in target areas to improve their understanding of and support for gender equality. The project sought to strengthen women's capabilities, through workshops to develop the qualities, skills, and traits of leadership and to build their knowledge and skills. Its theory of change proposed that by building women's leadership and changing men's attitudes, this would improve men's and women's ability to advocate for policies and work with institutions that can improve gender equality and women's economic position.

Case study 12: The Women in Agriculture Leadership Conference

The Women in Agriculture Leadership conference is a long-running bi-annual conference New Mexico, US which brings together women in farming and ranching, with speakers, breakout sessions, tours, and local meals that educate women on agricultural business practices. It is attended by women producers and agribusiness professionals from around the state.