Women entrepreneurs gain vital resource: U of R Business Schools named regional Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub
The University of Regina’s Hill and Levene Schools of Business has been selected as Saskatchewan’s regional centre for the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH).
Operating across Canada, the WEKH is a national program made up of 10 regional hubs working to increase women entrepreneurs’ access to financing, talent, networks and expertise. The primary hub is located at Ryerson University’s Diversity Institute and is led by Dr. Wendy Cukier.
“Becoming a regional hub for WEKH is an opportunity to provide a voice and connection point for women entrepreneurs across the province to build networks, share resources and advance the impact of entrepreneurship on our economic growth,” says Dr. Gina Grandy, Dean of Hill and Levene Schools of Business.
The Hill and Levene Schools of Business pride themselves on work-integrated learning and work closely with Regina’s business community to prepare graduates for a competitive workforce. An economic impact study conducted by Economic Development Regina revealed that the Schools contributed over $211 million in total economic activity and contributed $139 million in gross domestic product to the provincial economy in 2018. The Schools serve as a nucleus of activity for thought leadership, innovation, and creativity in the region, especially in the areas of agribusiness, Indigenous and women’s entrepreneurship.
A part of the regional hub launch is a new study entitled
A Report on Women Ag Entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan.
The co-authors of the report, Dr. Amber Fletcher, Christie Newton and Dr. Gina Grandy, examined the existing research on women in agriculture, as well as conducted interviews with 32 individuals across the province. Those interviewed included women entrepreneurs in agricultural and related industries, and others working in organizations which serve to support agricultural industries and women entrepreneurs.
According to the report, “Ag entrepreneurs are those who develop an ag-related business venture, whether it be primary production, small business, home-based business, valueadd activity, processing activity, online-based business, or product-based business. This definition includes farm operators.”
Dr. Amber Fletcher is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Studies at the University of Regina. She is also an Associate Member of the Hill and Levene Schools of Business. Fletcher’s expertise lies in gender, agriculture, and environmental policy.
“Focusing on women who are entrepreneurs in agriculture is an ideal topic for the Saskatchewan hub, and an important topic. I grew up on a grain farm in rural Saskatchewan so there is also a personal connection for me,” says Fletcher.
The report reflects perspectives from a diverse range of sectors, as well as small, medium and large-scale agriculture. Fletcher was surprised by the amount of women-led activity on the ag advocacy front, especially related to mental health.
“Our report found that there is continued gender inequality in ag, but conditions are changing for the better. For example, financial lenders observe farmers including their daughters in dinner table conversations about succession a bit more. Ag continues to be viewed as a masculine profession and there are still some distinct divisions of labour by gender, but things are slowly improving,” says Fletcher.
Fletcher notes it is interesting that Saskatchewan women entrepreneurs who are achieving success in agriculture had a lot of support from their male partners, including men doing more childcare, in order to gain a foothold in the sector. Reported benefits of working in agriculture include being outside, working on the land (and with animals) and sometimes being able to bring children to work. However, significant barriers for women remain access to capital for land and large-scale equipment.
As a result, women end up in more niche or local agricultural networks, for example, distilleries and cheesemakers. Increasingly, more women are large animal veterinarians and agronomists, which Fletcher views as positive: “Visibility is important. Young women are less likely to get into the ag sector if they can’t see themselves there.”
Dr. Gina Grandy is Dean of the Hill and Levene Schools of Business. Grandy is also a Professor in strategy and leadership. Her research focuses upon women in leadership, women in entrepreneurship and marginalized work and she is a coauthor of the report.
“Across the University of Regina there is a lot of expertise in ag. This report builds on what we are doing at the Schools of Business in agribusiness—work that is relevant and important to the growth of the province,” says Grandy.
“Our report reveals that women farmers are not always recorded as the formal farm or ranch owner and as a result may be overlooked for the contributions they make as women entrepreneurs. We need to do more to account for them as entrepreneurs and we need to ensure we recognize the work that women do both on and off the farm.”
Grandy mentions that the issue of childcare continues to be a struggle and child-friendly spaces are necessary. In terms of access to capital, Grandy says that progress is being made. For example, through its Women Entrepreneur Loan, Farm Credit
Canada committed to providing a total of $500 million in lending capital over three years. A Report on Women Ag Entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan concludes with eight recommendations:
• accounting for women ag entrepreneurs;
• recognizing women farmers for the work they do;
• increased childcare support and child-friendly spaces;
• men supporting change;
• building coalitions;
• access to training and education;
• access to finance;
• policy and commitment to change.
“Women entrepreneurs in ag continue to progress across our province, but there is more to be done,” concludes Grandy.
Find out more about the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub program at www.wekh.ca. To learn more about the Hill and Levene Schools of Business, University of Regina, and to read the full report,