Description: Women's roles in sustaining and the revival of farming are indispensable. Based on research in Canada, China, India and Indonesia, the book offers a global perspective on young women's pathways into farming. It responds directly to concerns about the generational sustainability of smallholder farming worldwide. Despite their crucial contribution to the reproduction of farming and its belated recognition in policy discourse, women farmers continue to face constraints in access to agrarian resources and services, and recognition as farmers in their own right.
Brief description: Associate Professor of Development Studies at the University of Guelph in Canada. Her research and teaching are located within the broad field of gender, development, and social justice.
Review Quotes: ''Young and Female' beautifully weaves together the narratives and voices, stories and studies of rural women from several countries around the world, offering a compelling anthology that addresses one of the fundamental changes reshaping the agricultural landscape of the contemporary world: the transformation of a rural woman into a farmer. This farmer is no longer merely a helper, but a farmer in her own right. The book illuminates her uniqueness through robust research and a multifaceted exploration, resulting in an engaging read. Each chapter offers unique and thought-provoking insights into how women are toiling in the absence of adequate training and land ownership rights, while also showcasing how these individuals are using the limited opportunities available to creatively redefine their lives and the futures of generations to come.' Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt, AO, Professor, Resource, Environment & Development Department, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University, Australia ''Young and Female' offers indispensable insights into the often-overlooked experiences of young women in agriculture, shedding light on their aspirations and the challenges they face in becoming farmers. This book brings fresh and much-needed perspectives to agrarian scholarship, gender and development, and youth studies. It masterfully weaves empirical data from four countries, placing the findings in thought-provoking comparison and dialogue. Through its critical analysis, it provides essential insights for addressing gender and generational inequities in the agricultural sector--offering a vision for rural futures that are more diverse, equitable, and sustainable.' Lisa Bossenbroek researcher in rural sociology, iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU) Germany 'Young and Female pays tribute to the vital, often overlooked roles that young women play in cultivating food, caring for land and community, and shaping the future of agriculture. The powerful collective of stories in this book reminds us: Women's work feeds the world.' Trina Moyles, author of Women Who Dig: Farming, Feminism, and the Fight to Feed the World (University of Regina Press, 2018)