What do women share in agriculture?

Today we celebrate International Women's Day. On this occasion, we share six short stories with several charismatic ladies who shared what it is like to be a lady in Bulgarian agriculture.

Rumyana Angelova, gr. Byala Slatina

Rumyana Angelova is a farmer from Byala Slatina. Her farm is family owned and started in 1999. She herself is a second generation farmer, and currently cultivates 3,000 acres of land.

What is it like to be a lady in agriculture?

The truth is that there are very few women in agriculture. It is a great joy for me to be one of them.

Are women more innovative in agriculture?

I have colleagues who have proven over the years that they are very good farmers. Some of them are engaged in seed production or businesses that are ancillary to agricultural production.

What are the most common challenges in your job?

It is difficult to be a lady in agriculture, it is a very male business, but the truth is that a woman works much better in a male environment.

What are the advantages of being a lady in agriculture?

Women have a lot of respect from colleagues, because we are the gentle half, which, however, is in no way inferior to the male part in the “Agriculture” sector.

Would you trade farming for another profession?

I am glad to be part of the entire farming community, for me it is a pride.

Lili Kotseva, s. Upstairs

Lili Kotseva is a farmer from Vidin. Her farm is located in Podgora, and she manages 500 acres with meadows, grows wheat and sunflower.

What is it like to be a lady in agriculture?

I'd say it's great. Despite the daily challenges, being a lady in farming is a privilege.

Are women more innovative in agriculture?

In my opinion, yes. We ladies are able to improve many things in the workflow, which makes the job easy.

What are the most common challenges in your job?

This is certainly the workforce. It is a problem throughout the country and not only. It is difficult to find a skilled workforce.

What are the advantages of being a lady in agriculture?

Perhaps the fact that I manage to cope faster and easier with certain tasks in the job.

Would you trade farming for another profession?

Definitely not! I like what I do and it gives me pleasure.

Desislava Stoeva from the village. Snezina

Desislava Stoeva is a farmer in the Provadia village of Snezhina. She graduated with a degree in agriculture at the Agricultural University — Plovdiv, and recently she has been running the family business. It takes care of the cultivation of 18 thousand acres with field crops — wheat, sunflower, corn, barley.

What is it like to be a lady in agriculture?

Being a lady in agriculture is a big challenge that has started to be encountered more and more frequently nowadays. I am glad to see that there are more and more ladies engaged in agriculture. It's a man's business, but you don't have to be a man to run it. I am not saying that it is easy — on the contrary, it is difficult, it takes a lot of time, especially as a woman has to be both a mother and a housewife, but with a great desire, as is the case with me, things work out.

Are women more innovative in agriculture?

Depends on the person. There are people with a lot of ideas, as is the case with us. We have developed a lot of things, we have participated in programs that have helped us to upgrade our base and machines.

What are the most common challenges in your job?

In our farm, they are related to agricultural machinery, because one cannot understand everything, and machines are assets that require constant maintenance and you have to react adequately and make decisions quickly.

Our business is under the open sky and each year is different from the previous one. There have been a few years that have been quite unfavorable, but it has to be continued somehow. You cannot fail to sow and not reap.

What are the advantages of being a lady in agriculture?

I do not divide the sector into men and women, but the advantage is that you reap the hard work — you get a lot of satisfaction from what you do, together with the team behind you.

The advantage, perhaps, of being a woman is that they perceive the woman in charge differently than the man. You know, the nicer word.

Would you trade farming for another profession?

I wouldn't, it's a family business that I take over. I wouldn't do anything else. Farming is my passion!

Plamena Raleva, s. Emen

Plamena Raleva is part of the team of Ralevi Ltd. The farm is located in the village of Emen in Veliko Tarnovo and cultivates 2400 acres mainly with wheat, corn and sunflower.

What is it like to be a lady in agriculture?

A good helper to all the other men.

Are women more innovative in agriculture?

In our sector, work is predominantly male and most of the innovations are there. The ladies rather help with the documents, the supply of spare parts - at least in our farm this is the case.

What are the most common challenges in your job?

The challenges are everyday. But I would highlight above all the organization of work and accidents when time presses on us.

What are the advantages of being a lady in agriculture?

We manage to cope better in stressful situations and react in a more balanced way.

Would you trade farming for another profession?

I would definitely not change my profession. I like the satisfaction I get at the end when the work is done and there is a result.

Eli Petrova, s. Antimovo

Eli Petrova helps manage 11,000 decares of land in the Vidin village of Antimovo. The farm of Gave Ltd. specializes in the cultivation of wheat, sunflower and corn.

What is it like to be a lady in agriculture?

For me, this is a priority and an advantage.

Are women more innovative in agriculture?

Definitely yes. It's just that ladies in some things are a little “more” than men.

What are the most common challenges in your job?

The challenges in our work are daily, but perhaps the workforce is one of the main problems, and finding qualified personnel is a challenge.

What are the advantages of being a lady in agriculture?

Undoubtedly, men occupy a major part in the sector. I would say that we, the ladies, are more on the administrative side. The work cannot be limited to the field, there is also an administrative activity that must be done. We are a wonderful addition to the overall male image of the sector.

Would you trade farming for another profession?

Our business is a family business and I am honored to be a part of it, as well as to be able to help develop it.

The team of NIK congratulates all the ladies on the holiday!

Be healthy and proud that you are in one of the most important sectors in our country, and not only — agriculture!