In the cattle market sun andrade made history by becoming the first woman to join the board of the Association of Livestock Shippers (ACG), a union that has been working in agribusiness for more than 100 years.
Born in Durazno and raised closely with the cattle business -because her family owns a rural office-, Sol has spent his entire life related to the field.
His grandfather, Homero Andrade, founded the family business that his father, Luis Aparicio Andrade, later continued.
He lived his youth in Durazno, 8 kilometers from the family field, which he visited with his brothers.
As he reminded The Observer, Since she was a girl, she accompanied her father to the livestock fairs and visited the local fairs during the activities. When she grew up, when she decided what to study, finances caught her attention and she decided to train as an accountant, and because of her history and her love for the countryside, she specialized in issues related to agriculture, although she not only works in that category.
open doors for women
The passion for agriculture and the pleasure of getting her boots muddy and learning from the exchange with the producers led her to join her father at the desk, she said.
The family firm was associated with the ACG many years ago and in 2022, before the association’s new board of directors -headed by Joaquin Falcon– took the reins of the union, they invited her to participate as treasurer.
“Although I understand that it is not a position that I was given based on gender, it seemed important to me to start opening doors for women. This was an opportunity to open doors in the association, which in its entire 100-something-year history has never had a woman on the board. It seemed important to me, that’s why I embarked with them, ”she recounted.
For her, working in “a man’s world” was not an impediment to developing her career. She never felt that she had to validate her place or professionalism in front of them, she said, although she understands that in many cases women do not have the same opportunity and that they must earn their space by facing more challenges.
women in agribusiness
Sun is convinced Women have always played a very important role in the agricultural business. “Perhaps what a woman is has not been visualized, but there are a lot of women who have managed to stand out in their activity. Professionals, veterinarians, agronomists, there is a very significant number of women who are working in the sector, ”she said.
In a certain way “Women have been generating their spaces”mentioned and assured that “the place of women in the agricultural sector tends to be just as important as what men have been in the past.”
An advice
The accountant shared advice for women who want to dedicate themselves to agribusiness. According to her, it is good to “have confidence and security that one has all the powers and the right to be in the place that she loves and for which she specialized. It is important to be in the places that one chooses to develop. That is what you have to do not hesitate in the face of any opposition that may exist.”.
Being sure of “what we are because of what we develop” and “fighting because that is valued in society” is important, he added. “The important thing is to seek to speak properly. Agriculture is a sector that you have to know, go and be with people to understand. Without a doubt it is a struggle, and no one denies that women have had to find their place, but I think that more than anything because of a cultural issue than because of an imposition. Sometimes we are the women themselves who put the limitations on ourselves, ”she concluded.
capital manager
Sol has a great responsibility within the ACG. As treasurer – a position she will be in for at least two years – has the task of planning finances, that is, “what the investments that can be made may be tomorrow,” he explained. In his role, he must look for spaces to generate added value for the association’s members, with a “reasonable and careful” use of union funds.
Within this framework, he has the challenge of facing highly changing scenarios –largely due to elements such as the weather, which affect agricultural production–, which is why one must be “cautious and careful”, he said.
Despite the sector facing many changes, it is that variability in numbers that makes the livestock market unique, he added.
With very good expectations for the development of his work within the ACG, he finally highlighted that the new board of directors is made up of very young people, with a great interest in the technological part, a tool that he considered extremely necessary for the future of business in the agro.
Sol Andrade is the first woman to join the ACG board of directors.
