'We need to listen to female farmers' says academic behind new research
Veronica White will be cycling to meet female farmers and listen to their expectations of the future
A first-of-its kind study is getting underway looking into the issues female farmers face - and what future they expect.
Devon-based academic Veronica White says women are often ignored in policy making and their voices need to be heard.
The University of Exeter PhD student says 'farming is often visualised in high-tech terms', adding that her tour 'will investigate how women living or working on England’s farms imagine what the future of food production could look like'.
Ms White will set off from Land’s End on 12 April on a route of over 1,200 miles, ending at the Scottish border in July.
She said: “I was born in the US but I grew up in the Netherlands, where my family travelled by bike or public transport.
“I don’t drive, so cycling is still my main mode of transport – and of course it’s also a low-carbon, sustainable way to travel, which is important to me.
“By cycling, I will see and experience the farming landscapes I ride through – I will feel the hills in my legs, and experience the seasons as they shift.”
She added: “Women in the UK cycle a lot less than men, and farming is male-dominated – so I aim to highlight the role of women in both these areas.”
White will stop at various points along her journey to spend several days meeting people in farming communities.
Reflecting on the challenge of bike touring and camping, she said: “I know that this cycle tour is not going to be easy. It will, most likely, be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
“But isn’t that what they say about doing a PhD, too? Nobody starts a PhD thinking it’s going to be easy – so why not throw a 1,200-mile cycle ride into the mix?!”
To find out more, see the Farming Futures Cycle Tour webpage. For updates from the trip, see White’s Instagram.
There is also a JustGiving page to raise money for the Farming Community Network.