Marina Di Muzio, President of Confagricoltura Woman has encouraged the farming community to support women in agriculture, underlining their role as vital within the family farm tradition.

Around 68 per cent of holdings are family owned and involve women with the remaining third ran by businesses or sole owner/entrepreneurs.

Mrs Di Muzio has said their role is undervalued in society adding that one of the core principals of the European Union was fairness and equality in income.

"Increase the number of women on the labour market and in terms of education and training," said Mrs Di Muzio. "However, the gender gap remains real. In the labour market, women are over-represented in lower paid sectors and under-represented in positions of responsibility."