Women in Agriculture
Lena Krippendorf
Senior Director Global Herd Management, Germany
Her attention to detail enables her to detect and realize the smallest alterations that can change the barns efficiency and productivity for the better. From a girl passionate about cows to becoming a Senior Director in Global Herd Management. “Women are highly skilled professional who deserve a platform to demonstrate their expertise and contribute equally to the progress of our industry,” she says.
Read about her upbringing, her motivation, her thoughts on purpose, her predictions for the future and the change she wants to see for women in agriculture.
What brought you into agriculture / farm technologies?
My grandparents had a small farm with a few cows and a Westfalia Separator milking parlour. I think I have to thank my granddad, who planted the seed for my passion for cows.
What makes your work meaningful to you?
My goal for the end of a day on a farm is to change at least one small thing that improves the farmer’s satisfaction and the well being of the herd. Keeping this in mind makes it easy to find meaning in my daily work.
How does your role contribute to the future of dairy farming?
Together with my team of Herd Management Experts, we help farmers work as efficiently as possible with modern systems such as our DairyRobot and Herd Management solutions. Sharing my knowledge and exchanging ideas with colleagues in the field helps us continuously improve dairy farming with our machines all around the world.
What will modern dairy farming look like in 10 years in your opinion?
The cow will always be a living individual that needs to be treated in the best possible way. With the help of our tools, we support the decision making process on the farm and help farmers reduce their workload without losing contact with their animals.
What change would you most like to see for women in agriculture?
I want to see women in agriculture gain far greater visibility and no longer be reduced to traditional roles such as “calf caretakers”. Women are highly skilled professionals who deserve a platform to demonstrate their expertise and contribute equally to the progress of our industry. Leading a farm or a team in agriculture should not be viewed as an exception—what truly matters is the competence, knowledge, and the valuable strengths and perspectives that women bring to the agricultural sector.
International Year of the Woman Farmer
The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer to promote action toward closing gender gaps and improving women’s livelihoods worldwide, while also raising awareness of the vital role women play in agriculture.
GEA Farm Technologies spoke with women in agriculture across the globe to talk about their experiences, their upbringing, as well as their motivation, purpose, predictions for the future, and has asked them about the change they would like to see for women in this line of work.
