For generations, women have been the invisible heart of the huerta: caring for the land, supporting families, preserving local varieties, feeding communities and keeping agricultural traditions alive.
Today, many of them continue to work in difficult conditions, with less recognition, fewer resources and more obstacles than their male counterparts.
The good news is that every one of us can help change this reality. Sometimes small gestures have an enormous impact on the lives of women farmers and on the future of our rural environment.
Here are five simple, powerful actions you can take to support women in the huerta:
1. Buy directly from local women producers
The most transformative action is also the most everyday one: choose who you buy your food from.
When you buy fruit, vegetables, eggs or processed products such as jams, preserves and oils from a woman farmer, you:
- support her livelihood,
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strengthen her independence,
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and help keep the huerta alive as a place to live and work.
Look for local markets, consumer groups, seasonal produce boxes or direct sales.
2. Raise the visibility of their work: share, mention and recommend it
Invisibility has been one of rural women’s historic burdens. Today, a simple gesture on social media can amplify their voices:
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share their projects,
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recommend their work,
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tag women producers when you buy their products.
Visibility is also a form of justice.
3. Support agroecological projects, activities and workshops led by women
Many of the new generation of women in the huerta are embracing more sustainable models, such as organic farming and local sales, or running workshops and educational activities.
Buying their products or taking part in their activities helps build a fairer, healthier agricultural model.
4. Stand up for public policies that protect equality in farming
Support is often political too. You can sign campaigns, back regulations and plans that protect the huerta, follow groups working for rural equality and demand measures that guarantee women access to land, credit and rights.
A huerta without women has no future, but a huerta with empowered women can transform an entire society.
5. Listen, learn and recognise their role
The deepest support begins with listening.
Women in the huerta have immense knowledge of the climate, soils, seeds and family organisation.
Recognising their knowledge and role in agriculture is an essential step towards equality and a more humane agricultural model.
A huerta in which women are visible, recognised and empowered is stronger, more diverse and more sustainable.
Your support—however small it may seem—helps transform the land and build a fairer society.
This article is part of the project “DONES DE L’HORTA: Guia digital per a la visibilització del paper històric i actual de les dones en l’Horta Valenciana” funded by the First Vice-Presidency and Regional Ministry for Social Services, Equality and Housing.
