Farm women in the rural areas of Calabria. A case-study in Sila Crotonese (Crotone)

In recent times the role played by women in rural development has been given an ever in creasing attention, culminating in the insertion of specific measures in Agenda 2000. The EU programs for rural development aim to single out the factors handicapping the full participa tion of women to the public and economic life at the local level and to develop specific initia tives for this category. Aim of the present research was the evaluation of the effectiveness of the new EU policy guidelines in terms of occupation and/or additional income achieved by women in agriculture. The study analysed the main characteristics of the farm women in a local rural system in Calabria. As any rural system, the one that was considered is the result of the interlace between various governmental intervention (EU and national policies) and the physical, social and economic characteristics of a particular territory. The analysis regarded social characteristic, characteristics of the farm, organisation and management. In relation to the specific agricultural activities, they were analysed the main sociological factors affecting the motivations and the attitudes of the local farm women, the difficulties in conciliating job and family and the potential unexpressed and the ambitions unfulfilled and/or discouraged.