ESTABLISH REGIONAL ADVISORY SERVICES NETWORK FOR WOMEN

Specialised advisory services can play a role in addressing the unique challenges faced by women in agriculture and rural entrepreneurship. Examples from FLIARA point to:

Access to specialised advisors: Ensure access to specialised regional advisors that are trained and equipped to support women, who are well familiar with specific challenges and opportunities faced by women in agriculture and entrepreneurship in rural areas. Such advisory support can be provided within the public agricultural advisory service; regional business incubators may play a complementary role by offering support for women-led rural enterprises and start-ups. This also requires that advisory support for women on farms and in rural entrepreneurship is recognised and included as a standalone thematic area within the broader framework of public agricultural and rural entrepreneurship advisory services, ensuring that gender-specific needs are addressed systematically and consistently across regions. 

Existing model: Farm advisory services in Slovenia are provided by the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry which operates at three levels: national, regional, and local Advisory service is organised in five topics: 1) advisory support for successors and retiring farmers, 2) farm economic efficiency consulting, 3) legal assistance, 4) psychosocial support and 5) social security for farmers and family members. Each regional advisory centre employs specialised advisors for young farmers. Many rural women realise their entrepreneurial ideas through these activities, as they are more accessible than starting an independent business, especially in terms of legal, tax, and administrative requirements.