Long underrepresented, women are playing an increasingly important role in agriculture, particularly in dairy farming. Their involvement goes beyond simply ensuring generational renewal: it is profoundly transforming the practices and balance of the profession.
Photo source: Report from the regional transmission observatory - Installation in Pays de la Loire
Motivations rooted in meaning and life
According to the 2024 activity report of the CNIEL , female farmers are setting up their farms out of conviction:
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75% are seeking meaning .
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80% want a connection to living things and nature.
This aspiration reflects a broader societal trend: according to INSEE, women now represent 26% of farm managers or co-managers in France. Nearly one in five farms is run solely by women.
This share has remained broadly stable since 2010 , without significant progress, but it remains structuring for the future of the agricultural sector , particularly in livestock sectors, where women are more present in human-scale, organic or short-circuit structures.
A beneficial influence on working conditions
Their presence stimulates ergonomic improvements on farms , the adaptation of equipment, and the search for a better work-life balance. The CNIEL notes that women actively contribute to shifting production methods towards greater sustainability and attention to human and animal welfare.
Persistent structural obstacles
Despite this momentum, several major obstacles remain:
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Access to land remains difficult: family farms are still mostly passed down to men.
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Funding difficulties persist, particularly with banks for projects led by single women.
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Maternity leave remains poorly adapted to agricultural realities: lack of support, limited support mechanisms.
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Agricultural equipment is often designed for male physiques.
A sustained momentum to be encouraged
In some regions, such as Pays de la Loire, women are mostly settling in associations, in dairy cattle production and market gardening.
Photo source: Report from the regional transmission observatory - Installation in Pays de la Loire
Encouraging the feminization of dairy farming also means supporting the diversity of farming models, promoting innovation and ensuring a balanced generational transition.
This dynamic aligns with MyMarguerit's mission.
At MyMarguerit , we are convinced that agricultural renewal also depends on the diversity of profiles and support for viable and humane farming models.
By financing herds through leasing rather than debt , our solution allows farmers, both women and men, to develop their business with peace of mind , while gaining more room to invest, adapt and plan for the long term.
Useful, tangible and committed savings
By choosing to invest your savings with MyMarguerit , you support a modern, inclusive and forward-looking French agriculture .
Your savings contribute directly to creating the conditions for sustainable dairy farming , serving local areas, rural employment and animal welfare.
Sources:
INSEE, Agricultural Census 2020.
Agrest
Chamber of Agriculture Pays de la Loire
