There are two dates in the calendar that, rather than one-off celebrations, remind us of a silent yet essential reality for the agricultural sector: 15 October, International Day of Rural Women, and 19 November, Women’s Entrepreneurship Day. Both days share the same message: without women’s work, vision and determination, today’s agriculture simply would not be possible. These are the women who sustain the land.
Spain’s countryside has undergone profound changes in recent decades, but one thing remains constant: thousands of women keep family farms running, lead cooperatives, drive the sector’s modernisation and ensure the continuity of age-old knowledge rooted in the land. Yet their contribution remains under-represented in statistics, visibility and decision-making.
The women who sustain the land
At Cebollas Marchite, we know this reality first-hand. Our sector, onion production and marketing, depends on technical rigour, planning and adaptability. These are qualities we see every day in the farmers, technicians, professionals and entrepreneurs who are part of our value chain: women who rise early, negotiate, innovate, care for the soil and manage risk in an increasingly demanding environment.
International Day of Rural Women reminds us of the importance of protecting their access to resources, training and opportunities. Women’s Entrepreneurship Day highlights the need to support women-led projects that are breaking new ground in precision agriculture, sustainability and crop diversification.
Today, we want to thank and recognise them, not as the exception, but as a structural driving force for the future of agriculture. In every season, every harvest and every step forward for the sector, there are women whose work deserves to be seen, valued and supported. And at Cebollas Marchite, we reaffirm that commitment]
