Harvesting Empowerment: Women's Strategies to Access and Control Land Inheritance in Turkey

Despite growing discussions around the feminization of agriculture globally, estimates indicate that female landownership accounts for less than 20% worldwide. This research aims to explore the experiences of women in Turkey who continue or begin farming after inheriting agricultural land, focusing on the strategies they develop to counter patriarchal ideologies and gender relations in rural production areas. Numerous studies highlight that patriarchal norms and gender dynamics often obstruct women from inheriting land, both in Turkey and in many other countries. While the amended Soil Conservation and Land Use Law No. 6537, introduced in 2014, sought to create a more equitable legal framework for women’s inheritance rights, cultural narratives frequently promote transferring land to "suitable heirs"—typically male family members—to maintain the "integrity and productivity" of the land. This study, beginning as an autoethnographic inquiry, draws on in-depth interviews with 25 women conducted in August 2023, all of whom inherited agricultural land from their families or spouses and engaged in hazelnut production as farmers in Ordu, Turkey. It aims to understand the strategies and experiences of these women as they navigate patriarchal challenges despite holding legal land rights. This research seeks to refine the theoretical framework on land access and inheritance as influenced by gender relations, while also facilitating the exchange of best practices across different contexts. Understanding women’s strategies for securing and managing land rights is critical for crafting nuanced policies that tackle gender inequality in land ownership.