International Rural Women’s Day – Karen Williams

Karen Williams is Chief Executive of Irrigation New Zealand and a long-time advocate for farmers and rural communities. With a background spanning farming, industry leadership and agricultural advocacy, she brings a practical voice to some of the sector’s biggest conversations around water, land use and the future of food production.

1. You’ve worked across farming, advocacy and irrigation leadership. What has kept drawing you into roles where rural voices need to be heard?

My passion is driving better outcomes for rural New Zealand. I want successful farming and growing businesses that care for their people and livestock, look after our land and water, and are economically sustainable. Economic, environmental and social outcomes aren’t competing objectives. Rural New Zealand needs all three. That’s also what drew me to IrrigationNZ: reliable access to water helps enable those balanced outcomes.

I farm with my husband in the Wairarapa, where we run an irrigated arable and livestock operation, so I understand first-hand both the value water brings to a farming business and the responsibility that comes with managing it well.

2. Water can be one of agriculture’s most contentious issues. What have you learned about leading through difficult conversations?

Strong, trusted relationships matter enormously, particularly with people who don’t necessarily see things the same way. That doesn’t mean shying away from difficult conversations, but having them constructively, listening to different perspectives and looking for common ground.

Earlier this year I was on a Farmstrong panel with Sam Whitelock and he shared a simple test before making a comment: “Will it help or will it hinder?” That really resonated with me. It’s not about avoiding the hard things that need to be said, but saying them in a way that helps move the conversation forward.

At IrrigationNZ, we talk about water resilience delivering for our people, our environment and our economy. Multi-purpose water storage can support food production, regional prosperity and community resilience, alongside environmental outcomes. Finding solutions that recognise those different interests is why constructive dialogue matters.

For those involved in irrigation and the wider water sector, I’d encourage you to join IrrigationNZ. The stronger our collective voice, the more effectively we can advocate for good water outcomes in Wellington.

3. How important is it that women are involved in discussions around water, land and the future of food production?

Absolutely essential. But women aren’t waiting to be invited into these conversations. They are already farming, leading businesses, managing natural resources and shaping rural communities. Many lead their local catchment groups and through the Ballance Farm Environment Awards, I often see women taking the lead in entering their farming businesses. Programmes offered by AWDT and Rural Leaders have also helped build the confidence, capability and networks of women stepping into leadership.

One of my pet hates is hearing people automatically refer to “the farmer” as “he”. Women of all generations are an established and important part of New Zealand farming. Farmers are both women and men, and our language should reflect that.

4. What has changed most for women in agriculture during your career, and what hasn’t?

The biggest change is the visibility and recognition of women as farmers, decision-makers and leaders in their own right. It’s also great to see so many young women choosing careers in agriculture. Women are leading farming businesses, raising families and contributing to their communities, often alongside off-farm careers that bring additional skills, experience and income to the farming business.

A highlight of my agricultural tour through Europe and the UK this year was meeting Lisa Hogan from Clarkson’s Farm at Diddly Squat Farm. I admire the way she has shown a global audience the many ways women contribute to successful farming businesses, bringing common sense, business nous and a touch of glamour. I see those same qualities in women throughout rural New Zealand.

I love seeing women recognised through awards, but perhaps the ultimate measure of progress will be when separate recognition is no longer necessary. I look forward to the day when we simply talk about great agricultural leaders.

5. What does being a rural woman mean to you in 2026?

It’s less a label and more part of who I am. No matter where work takes me, getting home to the farm in the Wairarapa keeps me grounded and connected to the practical realities of farming and rural New Zealand.

I’m proud to say I’m a farmer and come from a rural community, whether I’m on the farm or around a table in Wellington. I’d encourage other rural women to be equally proud of that experience and perspective. I’ve never subscribed to the idea of an urban-rural divide. We are all part of the same New Zealand, with far more connecting us than dividing us.

6. What is the one thing you would change for rural women tomorrow if you could?

I’d like every rural woman to have genuine choice and opportunity to contribute in the way that works for her, without having to fit somebody else’s definition of what a farmer or rural woman should look like. There are many ways to contribute to a farming business, family and community, and none should be valued above another.

7. What’s your rural superpower, the skill, quality or instinct you rely on most?

Probably pragmatism, optimism and tenacity. Farming teaches you that circumstances change and you find a way through.

I’m also a great believer in building strong relationships before you need them. That builds the trust to work through difficult issues constructively when they arise.

More than any particular skill, what drives me is delivering better outcomes for rural New Zealand and leaving it in a better place for those who come after us.