Women Manage 17 Percent of EU Farmland in 2023
New data from 2023 reveals regional disparities in female agricultural leadership across the European Union.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Organic Food
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Should governments implement policies to increase the percentage of farms managed by women?
In 2023, female managers oversaw 17.2 percent of the European Union's total utilized agricultural area. This finding comes from an analysis of 241 NUTS 2 regions using the Eurostat farm manager dataset.
Why it matters
Understanding the distribution of agricultural land management by gender provides insight into the structural composition of the European farming sector. These figures highlight significant regional variations that define the current landscape of rural land ownership.
Data across 241 NUTS 2 regions shows that female management ranges from a low of 2.7 percent in Friesland to a high of 42.5 percent in Oberösterreich. Currently, 25 regions exceed a 28.5 percent share, while 12 regions remain below 5.0 percent.
The players
Eurostat
This is the statistical office of the European Union responsible for publishing high-quality statistics for Europe.
United Nations
This international organization promotes global cooperation and designated the upcoming International Year of the Woman Farmer.
The details
Female farm managers typically operate smaller agricultural holdings compared to their counterparts. While the sector currently shows clear regional concentration, generational renewal is expected to increase women's participation in larger, commercially oriented farming systems.
Timeline
The agricultural area data was measured throughout 2023.
The United Nations designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Culture Shift
The Eurostat farm manager dataset provides the baseline figures for current gender-based agricultural land management trends in Europe. This data tracks the long-term societal shift as generational changes gradually integrate women into larger commercial farming operations.
These trends indicate a shift in the operational profile of regional farms that may eventually impact local supply chain diversity. Consumers may observe changes in farm-to-table sourcing strategies as female-managed operations become more commercially oriented over time.
The takeaway
The 2023 data highlights that land management remains concentrated in specific regions, with wide gaps between the highest and lowest participation rates. Future progress will likely depend on how effectively the next generation of farmers transitions into commercial, large-scale systems.
Further reading
For additional context on food production systems, see the Organic Food section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by European Commission.
Live Poll
Should governments implement policies to increase the percentage of farms managed by women?
