Corteva trains 150 professionals at the Agribusiness Women's Leadership Academy

Collaboration with increasing female visibility in agriculture means they are able to perform their job, positively impacting the region where they operate. Therefore, this year Corteva invested in the development and progress of 150 women in the sector through the Agribusiness Women's Leadership Academy. With an online graduation, but full of celebrations, which included the opening of the President of Corteva Agriscience in Brazil, Roberto Hun, the second group of program participants ended their learning cycle with the company on 30/10.

“150 women from the agricultural and livestock market participated in this class, with different views and each with their own professional background. There were meetings with a lot of exchange of experiences and information and at the end of the course we were more than professional colleagues, we became partners inspiring a more egalitarian sector”, comments Rosemeire dos Santos, Institutional Relations Manager at Corteva Agriscience in Brazil.

Corteva created the Agribusiness Women's Leadership Academy based on the results of a survey carried out by the company itself in 2018. More than 4 thousand rural producers were interviewed in 17 countries – 500 of which were interviewed in Brazil – to understand the barriers that prevent women from having a real and successful participation in agribusiness. Among the Brazilian women who responded to the survey, 80% said they were interested in receiving more training and academic opportunities.

With a focus on promoting actions that reinforce female empowerment, in partnership with the Brazilian Agribusiness Association (ABAG) and the Fundação Dom Cabral business school, Corteva started the Academy in 2019. That same year, the program involved 2.500 women per through events and workshops, and offered complete training to 20 participants. In 2020, this number more than tripled, and the program saw the participation of 150 women, in a 100% online course.

The objective of the Academy is to give the group a repertoire (of tools), boost the female presence in the sector and increasingly encourage female protagonism. Throughout the course's four modules, farmers learn leadership skills, economics and the agricultural market, the political scenario and its impacts on agribusiness, innovation and sustainability.

“We can already see the participants’ personal initiatives being created based on the Academy’s teachings. In the region of Catalão/GO, for example, a student created a group of agribusiness women in the region to encourage and engage other professionals in agriculture, working to ensure that their interests are represented. This fills us with pride and shows that we are on the right path”, says Rosemeire.