Source: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
Working with women
Working with ACIAR, Dr Malem McLeod, a soil scientist with the NSW DPRID, highlighted the kelompok wanita tani (KWT) women’s farming groups as a particularly successful initiative that grew organically from local efforts.
‘In the immediate aftermath of the tsunami, we met a group of women, of all ages, who were coming together, gardening using a vacant village land. It was a kind of a healing forum to recover from the loss of people and livelihoods and share the challenges of recovery while growing food for family consumption,’ said Dr McLeod. ‘It was also a place for socialisation and information exchange.’
The ACIAR-supported project tapped into this by facilitating the creation of around 30 women’s farming groups across the 4 regions of Aceh. Training was provided for local leaders and extension officers to help the women learn improved techniques for growing vegetables and engage with local business and government, leveraging the support from ACIAR.
In Aceh farming families, the man in the family is the main income earner through growing food crops such as rice and legumes. ‘Although the women contribute significantly to the work on growing the crops, the results are managed by the husband and most women are financially dependent on men,’ explained Dr McLeod.
By growing vegetables in groups, women were able to improve their household food security and generate their own income, which increased their confidence and independence.
Dr Malem McLeod, soil scientist
NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
‘Some of the women’s group members became business-minded, even pre-selling their produce to wholesalers. The women also reported that working in the garden with the groups enhanced their physical health and wellbeing.’
Technical training was provided for 245 women and agricultural extension officers, with about 750 women in farmer groups collectively benefitting by A$297,000 a year.
‘The women’s groups facilitated a shift from financial dependence to self-reliant entrepreneurship,’ said Dr McLeod.
She noted that when new farming practices were introduced to men, they used it to improve their own food crop growing. But when new practices were shared with women, they brought them to the whole family and shared it with other women, effectively changing their whole community. ‘The information exchange and improvements became contagious,’ said Dr McLeod.