Women managed 17.2% of EU agricultural land in 2023
Women managed 17.2% of the European Union’s utilised agricultural area in 2023, according to new regional data published by Eurostat.
The figures show that women remain underrepresented in farm management and are more likely to run relatively small holdings.
Eurostat also notes that generational renewal could gradually increase women’s role in larger and more commercially oriented farms.
Women managed 17.2% of EU agricultural land
According to Eurostat, female managers were responsible for 17.2% of the EU’s utilised agricultural area in 2023.
Regional differences were large
Among 241 NUTS 2 regions with available data, more than half were below the EU average. Friesland in the Netherlands recorded the lowest share at 2.7%.
At the other end of the scale, Oberösterreich in Austria had the highest share, at 42.5% of utilised agricultural area managed by women.
Women are more common on smaller farms
The data show that female farm managers are more likely to operate relatively small holdings. This matters because farm size is closely connected with access to capital, machinery, labour and market opportunities.
Why the trend matters
Farm management is changing as the sector deals with ageing owners, technology and succession. A higher share of women in management could alter who controls agricultural investment and how quickly generational change happens across rural Europe.
