The effects of women entrepreneurship in rural areas on local economic development: The example of Umay farm in the province of Balikesir

The role of entrepreneurs in local economic development in rural areas is significant. Women living in rural areas have the ability to carry out their work jointly and have the ability to build a solidarity network. However, women living in rural areas have fewer opportunities than women in urban areas. In recent years, the European Union provides important support for the development of rural areas in Turkey. Women entrepreneurs are supported through the IPARD, which is a rural development program, in particular to overcome the inequality of women. In this study, the effects of women entrepreneurs in the rural areas on the local economic development were presented. Within this scope, it has been determined Umay Çiftliği ' as research area which has been established with 11 women partners in Doğanpınar village of Bandırma district of Balıkesir province among 42 cities supported by TKDK. In the research area, interviews were conducted with the founding partners and 24 women who were employed in the farm during the project In the light of the findings, local economic development and rural development concepts in the literature have been emphasized and the support provided by the IPARD program to the women entrepreneurs by the European Union financing rural development has been mentioned. At the end of the study, the local action group S.S. In cooperation with Gönen, Merkez, Hasanbey and Tuzakçı Agricultural Development Cooperatives, it is seen that they contribute to the local economy in many areas such as the evaluation of local products in their regions, creating employment for other women in their regions and gaining their economic sustainability, preventing the migration from the village to the city and being a role model for the women around them.