International Rural Women’s Day feature

Emma Higgins is Rabobank’s Senior Agriculture Analyst and leads RaboResearch’s efforts to support New Zealand’s rural and corporate businesses with impactful research and engagement in the dairy sector. She is also an active and National Member of Honour for Rural Women New Zealand.

What has “breaking the glass ceiling” in agriculture meant for you, and how have you navigated spaces where women are under-represented?

I wouldn’t say I’ve personally shattered any glass ceilings – but I’ve certainly benefited from the incredible women who came before me and did. Thanks to their courage and persistence, I’ve been able to move through the space they created, encountering only a few lingering shards along the way.

Even today, I often find myself as the only woman in the room. When I stop and think about it, it’s more frustrating than daunting. Over time, I’ve come to expect it, and it no longer surprises me. What I do notice, though, is when the gender balance shifts - when women are equally represented, or even outnumber men - it’s a refreshing change, and the dynamic of conversation often shifts in meaningful ways.

Across more than a decade, I’ve observed that women tend to ask incredibly insightful and thoughtful questions – though often they wait until the end of a presentation to do so. I’ve also noticed, in myself and other senior women, how we’ve adapted our personalities to fit into male-dominated environments.

Can you share the turning points or experiences that most shaped your journey into agribusiness and leadership?

Motherhood has fundamentally reshaped me – how I see myself, how I view the world, and how I spend my time (or more accurately, how little time I have for anything superfluous). It’s challenged me to question narratives, set firmer boundaries, make intentional choices, and pursue outcomes that extend beyond my own immediate interests.

It’s made me tougher. I no longer read the online comment sections on articles covering my views on agriculture. I don’t have the time nor the energy. I’ve come to realise that other people’s opinions are none of my business. Besides, I’ve presented to senior leadership teams and attended board meetings while juggling in the background sick toddlers, school holidays, hungry kids, and teacher-only days. I reckon I’m fairly resilient these days.

It’s taught me how to better connect. Because, to me, that’s part of what leadership is – being able to genuinely connect with people from all walks of life.

It’s helped me understand my value – as a person, a leader, and an employee – with greater clarity. I’m better for it, and I believe it shows in how I show up across all the roles I hold.

It’s this lived experience – as a working mother in agribusiness – that inspired me to start Tasman Rural Women. Our group of like-minded women is dedicated to connecting and supporting others across the Tasman and wider Nelson region. It’s helped me grow my network and created a meaningful way to give back to the community.

3 What obstacles have you faced in your career, and how did you overcome them to reach the role you hold today?

One of my biggest challenges has been balancing motherhood with a visible, travel-heavy career alongside ambition and a desire for continued personal development.

None of my children were great sleepers — one especially tricky — and showing up to deliver presentations to very senior people, recall data, and engage confidently while running on fumes has tested me deeply. There have been stretches over the past seven years where I’ve thought, “I can’t do this anymore.” But somehow, you keep going. You keep showing up.

I’m constantly making trade-offs: do I catch the early flight home to see my kids before bed, or stay for networking? Do I power through my to-do list to get home sooner, or invest time in career-building conversations?

What’s made my career possible is the unwavering support of my family. I truly believe the partner a woman chooses can make or break her career – and my husband has been my greatest enabler. He travels more than I do, so we rely on a village to raise our children. In our case, that village has included paid daycare and the incredible support of my parents and in-laws. Moving back to Nelson was a deliberate choice to be closer to them — and they’ve stepped in countless times, like when my mum took my son to school on his first day because I had a board meeting. I also have an incredibly supportive, flexible workplace. Cumulatively, these are all the privileged factors that have enabled me to stay working full-time.

4.    How do you think more women can be encouraged into decision-making and leadership roles across agriculture?

I don’t believe it’s about encouraging women to step into bigger roles. I reckon the ambition and capability are absolutely already there. What’s missing is a system that genuinely supports them, especially working mothers. The years when women are ready to step into leadership often coincide with intense family responsibilities. Without structural support – like flexible work, inclusive leadership, access to networks, and manager backing – many are stretched too thin to stay the course.

Ultimately, I strongly believe it’s not about fixing women. It’s about fixing the system so women can both lead and thrive.

5 What changes do you hope to see over the next decade for women in agribusiness, and what role will women play in shaping the future of our food and fibre sector?

I’m expecting to see more brilliant women CEOs to lead our big co-ops — and yes, I track it in a spreadsheet. One day, I hope that list of female execs will need a second tab.

In the next decade, data-driven farming will be as essential as turning pasture into protein — and women will be at the heart of it. Real-time decisions, smarter systems, and increased female leadership will shape the agri-future. (With the right structural support, of course!)

6.      If you had to describe rural women in three words, what would they be?

Brave.  Resilient.  Critical.