Women farmers switch to girl power.

THE untapped potential of rural businesswomen in Wales is to be targeted in a new Farming Connect campaign.

Consultancy group Menter a Busnes is launching a new recruitment drive to encourage women across Wales to join Farming Connect's Agrisgp scheme.

Agrisgp is a subsidised learning programme which brings together farming families to progress business ideas.

It will be the first of a number of projects which Farming Connect is to introduce specifically for women.

The initiative follows a Farming Connect Women in Agriculture forum held in Aberystwyth in April when 50 women gathered to discuss the challenges facing farm businesses in Wales.

Head of Farming Connect Gary Douch said: "Feedback from the event demonstrated that all the participants who attended appreciated the opportunity to network with fellow women in agriculture."

Further networking facilities are likely to be developed either at a local level or via the web.

The initiative is a tacit recognition of the important but often unheralded roles that women play in Welsh farming, especially when embracing innovation.

Agrisgp programme remains open to both male and female farmers.

To set up an Agrisgp group, contact Menter a Busnes on 01970 636565 or [e-mail].