The International Dairy Federation has published its Women in Dairy Report 2025, exploring efforts around the world – including Ireland- to empower women within the dairy sector.
The publication provides insights into how women are supported to thrive and address challenges in transformative food systems.
It highlights various initiatives and research linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5, which focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.
The report covers a broad range of activities across the dairy value chain from farming and processing to research and education, and policy and governance.
Inclusion of women in agriculture
Dr. Judith Bryans, chief executive of Dairy UK and co-chair of the International Dairy Federation’s taskforce on women in dairy, said that across the world, the inclusion of women in agriculture “is not just desirable – it’s essential”.
“Women add expertise, innovation and leadership to every aspect of the agricultural value chain,” she said.
“In the dairy sector in particular, their contributions are critical and wide-ranging, from advancing cutting-edge science and research to driving business development, managing and leading farms, and ensuring excellence in food quality and safety.”
Dairy Women Ireland
The 2025 report showcases a range of projects from Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia, and more.
The work of Dairy Women Ireland, a “grassroots initiative that empowers and connects women across Ireland’s dairy sector” is highlighted in the 2025 report.
It aims to empower, connect and support women in the dairy sector.
“Dairy Women Ireland was established in 2021 by a volunteer steering committee drawn from across the dairy industry,” the report reads.
“Since its launch, Dairy Women Ireland has built a nationwide network of members.
“Regional gatherings and kitchen-table style events have created trusted spaces for peer learning, while webinars and workshops expanded access to knowledge on finance, sustainability and farm management.
“Dairy Women Ireland will continue to expand its national footprint through more regional gatherings, on-farm workshops and annual conferences.”
‘Key priority’
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has said in recent days that gender equality in agriculture is a “key priority” of his.
He said that gender equality is being actively promoted under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan, through a range of initiatives.
These include the increased grant rate of 60% under the Women Farmers’ Capital Investment Scheme to fund on-farm investments by trained women farmers, and the inclusion of an option to establish women-only groups in the current Knowledge Transfer Programme.
“From 2028 onwards, the European Commission is proposing that gender data collection should become a mandatory part of CAP supports,” the minister said.
“In the current CAP Strategic Plan period, we are collecting gender data of aid applicants for the first time, to develop more robust baseline data.”
