Who Should Take Over the Family Farm: Son or Daughter? Women Want a Say Too
Joanna Gierulska, an Agro Woman mentor in Poland's farming sector, says farm succession should start early and that daughters must have real influence over decisions. The topic will be discussed at the National Challenges in Agriculture 2026 conference on 18 November.
In Poland, a son is still often seen as the natural heir to the family farm, even though women are taking an increasingly active part in running farms. This is according to Joanna Gierulska, a mentor with the Agro Woman programme and a Senior Project Manager at Asseco Poland. She argues that succession should be a process spread over several years, and that future women successors need real influence over decisions. The subject will be discussed at the agricultural conference National Challenges in Agriculture 2026 (Narodowe Wyzwania w Rolnictwie), which takes place on 18 November.
A daughter as successor
Succession is not only about handing over land, but also about preparing the next generation to manage a farm independently. In many families the daughter is still expected merely to support the farm's operation, although women increasingly have the skills to manage production, finances and investment. Gierulska says a daughter or partner should not be seen only as a source of family support and a soother of tensions. She needs real influence over decisions, recognition of her work and the chance to prepare for running the farm herself.
Preparation must start early
According to Gierulska, preparing a successor should begin long before the formal transfer of the farm. The future owner needs to know production technology, and also take part in financial management and investment planning. She cites research by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), which indicates that naming a successor is not enough. Larger changes in management and innovation practices were linked to cases where the successor was already involved in running the farm.
Mentoring and family relations
Gierulska has served as a mentor in two editions of the Agro Woman Mentoring programme. From her experience, talking with someone who knows the sector helps women define their goals and plan next steps with more confidence. Family relations matter too: generational differences, differing ideas about the farm's development and older farmers' attachment to established methods can lead to conflict. The mentor therefore considers an open conversation about roles, duties and every family member's expectations essential.
Debate at the conference
The session, titled "The Countryside in Demographic Change. Family, Work and Quality of Life", will run on 18 November from 13:45 to 15:15. Participants will include representatives of science, administration, business and farming practice, among them Deputy Agriculture Minister Małgorzata Gromadzka and psychiatrist Maja Herman. Attendance is free of charge for farmers.
