8th March, International Women's Day, offers an opportunity to highlight the protagonists of a silent revolution that is transforming Barcelona's countryside. The data is compelling: in just two decades, women leading agricultural enterprises in the province of Barcelona have nearly doubled, rising from 11% in 1999 to 19% in 2020. In a traditionally male-dominated sector, the 16 women interviewed in the book 'Farming Barcelona' (Barcelona Provincial Council, 2024) represent the vanguard of this historic change. They are living testimony to a new farming approach that combines academic training, ecological awareness, and connection with the land. In a context where agricultural holdings are decreasing, those led by women have increased from 1,313 to 1,613, defying the general trend of the sector and demonstrating that the female perspective brings resilience and innovation to local agriculture.

“I opted for this life to have greater freedom,” states Paloma Fuentes from La Datzira in Castellcir, summarising a sentiment shared by many of the protagonists of this agricultural transformation. For her, who left the city driven by a vital need, freedom and self-management appear as recurring motivations, along with a deep connection with nature. "Working, you learn that the land, if you care for it, gives you everything," reflects  Alba Casasayas from Les Arnaules in Manresa, highlighting a philosophy based on reciprocity and care that characterises the approach of many women to agricultural work. This young farmer, who combines fieldwork with her passion for triathlon, represents the new generation that proudly takes over the family legacy: "When I was fifteen, I used to say that I came from a farming family in a whisper, but now that has changed, and I say it with pride."

Female leadership

Viticulture emerges as one of the sectors with the highest female participation, especially in Alt Penedès, where women manage 24% of the operations. Marta Casas de Parés Baltà represents this reality when she expresses: "I am extremely proud to have come to understand biodynamics, to be part of this family, to create a product that comes from the land and that, moreover, brings pleasure. Wine is a food that, in moderation, allows us to enjoy and gives us the satisfaction of understanding the territory, nature. It also gives us the opportunity to find out who made it and where it comes from." This oenologist exemplifies the revolution taking place in Penedès, where according to her words, "approximately 70% of winegrowers already follow organic practices" with the ambitious goal of becoming "the first DO (Designation of Origin) in the world with 100% organic production" by the year 2030.

Cereals and horticulture are also areas where the female presence is growing significantly, with examples such as Maria Giner from La Kosturica, who proudly affirms: "I always hold my head high for being a farmer, despite the fact that initially it was difficult for me because it wasn't a family tradition." This horticulturist, who has been leading an agroecological project in Canovelles for more than two decades, reflects a growing trend among women in the province's countryside: "I love being in the garden and watching the day break, contemplating how the light touches the different greens of the vegetables, being outdoors... All this fills my soul." Her testimony shows how women are not only transforming the land but also the social perception of the profession: "I chose this way of life because I wanted to contribute to people being able to enjoy healthier food, to care for the environment, and not pollute."

Training as a transformative tool

One of the most promising aspects of this new wave of female farmers is their high level of education. 14% of young women farmers have university studies in agricultural fields, surpassing the 10% of their male counterparts. This is the case of Marta Palomas, the person responsible for recovering forgotten plants and seeds at the Eixarcolant collective in Jorba. This agricultural engineer decided to return to the land out of vocation: "I believe that, beyond working with the land, at Eixarcolant we are contributing to transforming the agri-food model; we are building something. For me, being a farmer is not just about caring, putting up stakes, cultivating, and harvesting. We are changing the model." Her perspective not only reflects ecological awareness but also a transformative mission: "We are going against the current. Older farmers exist because they saw that, by buying a tractor, everything was easier and they could cultivate more hectares; and by buying a hybrid variety, they produced more. But I also believe that the current model is failing and, therefore, we need to try again in a different way."

From offices to the land

The diversity of trajectories and profiles among the protagonists demonstrates that there is no single path to farming. We find women who have inherited family farms alongside newcomers who have abandoned urban professions to reconnect with the land. Tatiana Segura, who left her job as an auditor to create Can Rasca Orella in Esparreguera, confesses: "I was an auditor, I earned a living, I had very nice bosses and a security that many people would like, and yet, I decided to take off towards my dream." This transformation has led her to a personal rediscovery: "This project has brought me strong empowerment. I have regenerated myself and it has given me something important: now I feel authentic." Also, Adela Martínez, a telecommunications engineer turned urban garden promoter in Barcelona, reflects this new connection with the land: "Putting your hands in the soil and observing the cycles of plants is the best gift from Huertos in the Sky. There are times when I feel angry with the world and, when I go up to the garden, all that evaporates." Her conclusion summarises the feeling of many of these new farmers: "When you start planting, there's no turning back."

Emotional wellbeing

The testimony of Maria Costa from L'Escairador reveals an often-ignored dimension of agricultural activity: the emotional wellbeing provided by direct contact with nature and life cycles. A museographer turned artisanal food producer, she left behind a career in international projects to dedicate herself to recovering the craft of husking cereals: "Now, as a farmer, I have much inner peace. I manage anxiety in a very different way." Meanwhile, Ariadna Tremoleda from Mas Les Vinyes has created a community based on permaculture where she experiments with alternatives to the conventional agri-food model: "Permaculture observes natural patterns and designs based on these models. In contrast, conventional agriculture seems to be fighting against nature." In this space of biodiversity where she works with her colleagues, she has discovered that "living in community is amazing, because it provides emotional and physical sustainability." Both share a transformative vision that goes beyond the simple production of food: "I want a future that has to do with taking responsibility, with care, with respect for nature, with feeling part of the environment," affirms Ariadna. This awareness of the revolutionary potential of sustainable agriculture constitutes one of the main legacies that these women transmit to new generations of female farmers.

Towards a more equal agricultural future

Looking ahead, the path to full equality in Barcelona's agricultural sector still presents obstacles, but it also offers unprecedented opportunities. The 16 female protagonists of 'Farming Barcelona' not only represent the present of a farming sector in transformation, but they are also building, with each seed planted and each decision made, a more diverse, sustainable, and equitable model for the territory's agriculture. As Dolors Roca de Fruita de Cal Roca says in La Granada: "Farming is the best way of life there is, but you have to like it. It's a demanding job and one in which we are almost always the last soldier." For her, this connection transcends daily difficulties and becomes a source of wellbeing: "Sometimes, on Sunday mornings, I take the tractor and go to plough vineyards. From the outside it may look like a sacrifice, but for me it's a privilege. I also like to go pruning: I love the sound the branches make when they fall to the ground."

The stories collected in 'Farming Barcelona' remind us that the future of the agri-food sector requires a more diverse and inclusive perspective. The contribution of women is not only a matter of equality and justice but also a commitment to sustainability and generational renewal. This 8th March, we celebrate the women who are cultivating the future.

For more information about the agricultural revitalisation actions promoted by Barcelona Agraria, please contact Sònia Callau, head of the Agricultural Territorial Directorate of the Barcelona Provincial Council and coordinator of the programme.