Analysing the work contribution determinants for women in Australian regional and agricultural communities

Abstract

It has been widely recognised that women make substantial contributions to both farm output and the social fabric of rural communities (Mahendran and Jefferson 2009). This situation is neither new nor unique to Australia, rural communities or agricultural work; it is widely recognised as a common feature of much of the work undertaken throughout time, by women globally. However, as is the case with the majority of the work completed by women, the contribution of women to Australian agriculture and rural communities is often underpaid, undervalued and largely unrecognised and invisible (Alston 1995; Pini 2004).