"Rural Women strengthen their Voice" - Third International Leadership Seminar in Herrsching, October 5–18, 2025

Rural Women Gain a Voice
Third International Leadership Seminar in Herrsching, October 5–18, 2025

Under the motto “Rural Women Gain a Voice – Tools for Volunteer Leaders”, the third international leadership seminar of the Rural Women’s Association within the Bavarian Farmers’ Association (BBV) took place from October 5 to 18, 2025, at the House of Bavarian Agriculture (HdbL) in Herrsching.

For eight years, the Rural Women of the BBV have been actively involved in building an interest representation for rural women in Kenya. In the meantime, an independent association with twelve district branches has been established there. Building on these successes, 18 volunteer leaders from Kenya, Zambia, and Uganda participated in the seminar.

Objective of the Seminar

The aim of the seminar was to provide participants with practical tools and methods to make their voluntary work in the agricultural sector in their home countries more effective, structured, and confident.

Content and Key Focus Areas

Over the course of two weeks, participants worked in an action-oriented and practice-based learning environment, guided by two experienced trainers. The focus was on consistently linking theoretical input with hands-on exercises and directly transferring the content to the realities of voluntary association work.

Communication and Conflict Resolution

A central focus was communication in leadership roles. Through practical exercises, participants trained how to formulate clear messages, set priorities, and represent their goals with confidence. Creative methods helped make focus and determination visible.

A recurring topic was “The Magic of Conflict.” The women engaged intensively with conflict situations: How do conflicts arise? How can they be addressed actively and constructively? And what role does one’s own behavior play? These sessions were perceived by the participants as particularly valuable.

Management and Association Work

Another key focus was the professional organization of associations. During a visit to the General Secretariat of the Bavarian Farmers’ Association in Munich, Dr. Andrea Fuß, First Deputy Secretary General of the BBV, welcomed the guests and presented the structure, tasks, and working methods of the association.

Topics discussed included statutes, financing, member recruitment, and member retention. BBV advisor Stefan Meitinger spoke about current challenges in association work, particularly EU policy and its impact on agriculture and lobbying. Dr. Brigitte Klamt also provided in-depth insights into the work of the Rural Women’s Department and its wide range of projects.

Insights into Regional Structures

In addition, participants visited the Green Center in Holzkirchen, the BBV administrative office, and the Office for Agriculture. Discussions covered issues such as land consumption, the demands placed on leadership positions, acceptance of young women in leadership roles, and teamwork.

Personal Leadership Skills – “My Leadership”

In the “My Leadership” module, participants reflected on their personal presence and individual leadership skills. They deepened their moderation and collaboration abilities and strengthened their leadership presence.

A special exercise involved preparing a three-minute presentation about oneself using drawings and then delivering the presentation freely—without being able to see the drawing. This exercise promoted self-confidence, clarity, and authenticity.

Mastering Negotiations with Confidence

The sessions on negotiation techniques generated great interest. Through exercises in active listening, participants learned how to clearly articulate interests, better understand negotiation partners, and develop sustainable solutions.

Cooperation and International Networking

Teamwork was another important building block. Topics such as structures, processes, patterns, and organizational cultures were developed jointly. Through peer consultations, the women exchanged experiences and laid the foundation for long-term international networks.

Exchange and Encounters

A highlight was the exchange with Bavarian district farm women, who shared insights from their voluntary work and addressed topics such as political participation, social security, farm succession, and mental health—issues that concern rural women worldwide.

Cultural encounters also shaped the seminar, including a visit to a vernissage in Herrsching and a weekend spent on Bavarian farms. The insight into Bavaria’s highly structured and technologically supported agriculture impressed the African participants, as did the appreciation rural women receive there. At the same time, the Bavarian hosts also benefited from the intercultural exchange and the perspectives of their international guests.

Voices of the Participants

“The training has a very positive impact. It strengthens us both organizationally and personally—each participant develops her own path.”
Phassy Mmbone, Kenya

“What I learn here can be applied in all areas of life. We want to change the narrative about rural women—towards economic strength and networking.”

Esther Mweemba, Zambia

Conclusion

The third leadership seminar was a great success. It strengthened the professional and personal competencies of the participants, fostered intercultural dialogue, and provided sustainable impulses for the association work of rural women in Africa. The positive feedback and planned implementation activities in the participants’ home countries underscore the lasting importance of this international engagement.