The REDaPORC Operational Group, led by the White Coat Pig Interprofessional of Spain (INTERPORC) organized a webinar dedicated to analyzing the participation of women and young people in the white coat pig sector and their vision on reducing the use of antibiotics . An event in which its participants highlighted, among other issues, that it offers great opportunities for professional development for both groups.
In the webinar, Cristina Marí, from the Department of Sustainability and Coordination of the REDaPORC Operational Group at INTERPORC, framed the topic by noting that “women and young people are of great current and future importance in the pig sector. As an example, 65,000 women currently work in the pig sector, which represents 42% of direct employment”.
Margarita Rico, PhD in Economic and Business Sciences and professor at the Higher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Valladolid stated that “the presence of women and young people is essential for the pig sector and, in fact, many lead livestock farms”.
In addition, she Rico gave another important piece of information. “Women hold 39% of employment in the primary pork sector, 46% of employment in cooperatives and integrating companies, and 47.5% of employment in processing companies. That is to say, it is close to parity, something that does not happen in other activities of the primary sector”.
In this sense, Neus Serentill, farmer at the Terraplé Farm, pointed out that “many women find barriers that we must break down, but fortunately the presence of women at fairs and events in the pig sector is increasingly abundant.”
To further increase these figures, Sonia Bel, a veterinarian in the production department of the Caspe Livestock Cooperative, pointed out “the importance of implementing equality plans in companies. We must not forget that talent is talent and companies can collaborate with universities to detect and train it. We have to bet on people and be equal”.
