This Monday, September 7th, the conference "Women Farmers – Voices, Experiences, Challenges" was held at the APORMOR Auditorium in Montemor-o-Novo, integrated into the celebrations of the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026. The event brought together different protagonists from the rural world to share professional paths, experiences, and perspectives on the role of women in Portuguese agriculture, seeking to give visibility to a contribution that, despite being historical, has not always received due recognition.
During the closing session, the Secretary of State for Agriculture, João Moura, pointed to the need to renew the generations linked to agricultural sciences and to encourage the entry of more young women into these areas. The official stated that more women, especially younger ones, need to be attracted to vocational and higher education in agricultural sciences, advocating for an investment in the valorization of national agriculture and Portuguese products in international markets.
The president of the Municipal Council of Montemor-o-Novo, Carlos Pinto de Sá, emphasized that women's presence in the agricultural world is not a recent phenomenon, highlighting the work carried out by thousands of women in activities such as rice and tomato cultivation. The mayor distinguished this historical reality from the current assertion of a growing number of women as entrepreneurs and managers of agricultural holdings, considering that the evolution of agriculture will depend on the capacity to affirm equality between men and women also in the economic sphere.
On behalf of the organization, Maria do Céu Salgueiro, from the APORMOR board, highlighted the quality of the testimonies presented and the participation recorded, which featured speakers from various regions of Portugal and also from Spain. The initiative made it possible to debate the need to ensure generational renewal in agriculture and to ensure that women have an increasingly recognized role in the future of the sector. The conference took place within the framework of the ExpoMOR 2026 program, which also ended this Monday.
