WINFOOD Needs Analysis: Key Findings on Women in the Food Sector
Between September and December 2025, a group of organisations from across the European Union and the Western Balkans—brought together by a shared interest in strengthening women’s position in the food sector—conducted a joint cross-country needs analysis. The organisations involved include Go-Woman Alliance Europe (NL), CEIPES (IT), Aspira University of Applied Sciences (HR), Srednja škola za gostinstvo i turizam Radenci (SI), ZENOS (BA), Okret/Spin (BA), Srednja stručna i tehnička škola Gradiška (BA), Employment Agency of Montenegro – EAM (ME), and NGO Glas (ME).
The analysis combined desk research, policy review, labour market data and direct input from women engaged in food-related activities, in order to identify key barriers to employment, entrepreneurship and growth within the sector.
👉 Full Needs Analysis available here:
Key Needs Identified
High participation of women, but low visibility and decision-making power
Women are strongly present across the food sector—from agriculture and food production to hospitality and rural tourism. However, their contribution remains undervalued, with limited representation in ownership, management and decision-making roles. This creates a structural imbalance where women sustain the sector but rarely benefit from its most profitable segments.
Entrepreneurship is widespread but remains small-scale and informal
Women’s entrepreneurship in the food sector is common across all countries but is predominantly characterised by micro-scale, home-based or informal activities. These businesses are often survival-oriented, with limited potential for growth, formalisation or integration into value chains.
Significant gap in entrepreneurial and business skills
Vocational education and training systems largely focus on technical and operational skills such as food preparation and hygiene, while key entrepreneurial competences are missing. Women report limited knowledge in areas such as pricing, financial planning, branding and digital marketing, which restricts their ability to develop sustainable businesses.
Limited accessibility and flexibility of training opportunities
Training systems are often not adapted to adult learners, particularly women balancing work and care responsibilities. Programmes are frequently time-bound, theoretical and not aligned with real-life business needs. As a result, participation in lifelong learning remains low, and existing skills gaps persist.
Unequal access to resources and support systems
Women face barriers in accessing finance, land, equipment, markets and business support services. These constraints are particularly pronounced in rural and Western Balkan contexts but remain visible across all countries. Limited access to networks and mentorship further restricts business development opportunities.
Policy frameworks exist but lack targeted implementation
Although national and EU-level policies supporting gender equality and entrepreneurship are in place, they are often too general and not sufficiently tailored to women in the food sector. In addition, implementation is frequently weak, with limited outreach and practical support mechanisms reaching the intended beneficiaries.
Conclusion
The needs analysis highlights a consistent pattern across countries: women play a crucial role in the food sector, yet face systemic barriers that limit their economic potential and business development.
Despite differences in context, the challenges are highly aligned. Women remain concentrated in low-value, small-scale activities, with limited access to skills, resources and institutional support needed for growth. At the same time, existing education, training and policy systems are not sufficiently adapted to their realities.
These findings point to a clear need for more inclusive, accessible and practice-oriented approaches that better reflect the position of women in the food sector and support their transition from informal or micro-scale activities towards more sustainable and competitive economic participation.