women’s groups lead food security & build resilience godavari dange sakhi federation swayam...
TRANSCRIPT
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Women’s Groups Lead Food Security & Build Resilience
Godavari Dange Sakhi Federation
Swayam Shikshan PrayogIndia
Groots International & Huairou Commission
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Background
SSP & Sakhi Federations of self help groups have over 75,000 members in 3 climate prone states in India
and
With growing food, environment and climate crises, 3000 women
supported by Huairou Commission & Govt of Norway have gained
control over 3000 acres of rain fed land to grow food secure crops
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Women are NOT Farmers
Not part of decision making in agriculture
Expected to meet growing food & nutrition needs
Cut off from new technology in agriculture
Neglected by Govt agriculture and extension programs
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Mapping Risk
Women do not have rights to land,
Male controlled agriculture has driven farming away from food
secure crops to cash crops
Women are workers on their land NOT FARMERS
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Women Organise …
Women form farming groups tohelp each other to plant, till and harvest
Use traditional knowledge to produce traditional seeds, bio-compost
Plant cereals/ pulses as diversified crops for food security
Adopt mixed farming for improved food security
Monitor soil and water to improve efficient use Promote self reliance for low-cost agricultural inputs through collective purchase, local production of seeds, bio-compost, and adoption of drip irrigation techniques
Facilitate access to better nutrition through the creation of village markets vegetable /herbal home gardens and education
Establish and expand marketing strategies and linkages
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Initiatives
Collective investment in leasing of land to cultivate vegetables
Demonstrating collective farming to convert the uncultivated waste land into cultivated land and to generate income for landless women.
Practicing innovative ideas on agriculture land to improve the crop productivity and reduce costs –water efficiency, local seeds, collective
sharing of labour, local seeds , bio-compost, and planting of trees
Network of women farmers – to share knowledge on local seeds, inputs and access to markets
Creating village markets and vegetable /herbal home gardens
Local partnership with agriculture depts for soil testing, seed, agriculture inputs and training to reduce the impact of climate change
on agriculture, land and crops.
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Impact Access to over 1000 ++ acres of land for experimentation by women
Improved status of women in families and in agriculture decision making
Increased awareness for women’s groups on the food and environmental crisis
Launching of low input/organic vegetable farming ( where there was none )
Self reliance through collective purchase for agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers and pesticides
Demonstration of organic farming methods and seed-banks, start vegetable production enterprises through Community Resilience Fund
Learning Network of leaders with vital expertise on innovations in farming & scaling up
Plans to scale-up to launch 6000 women as farmers groups by 2015
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Bringing resources to grassroots Bridged gap on technical inputs and brought
research from lab to farm
Employment guarantee programs to build water harvesting/ conservation structures
Subsidies on agricultural implements
Extension training, women’s groups funded for study tours ,exposure visits to National research
fairs
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Recommendations
Increase rural women’s participation and representation in planning and decision making at all levels
Investment in Social and Financial Services for Grassroots Women through individual and collective loans, to better meet personal and household needs
and improve access to markets and economic opportunities
Develop and Enforce Legal Framework for Equality in Land - enforcement of good laws and effective promotion of justice within the community.
Invest in Basic Services, Infrastructure and Markets such as child care support, primary care and reproductive health services, safe water and
sanitation, and infrastructure
Increase support for Upscaling Productivity and Innovation - Improve women’s access to farming technology and increase education opportunities for women through training, vocational skills and entrepreneurship programs.
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Shifting the Axis
Empower women to view themselves as farmers, innovators
and resource persons in farming
Provide for improved livelihoods/incomes and ensure household food security through small holder farming
As experts on converting small land holdings into productive land through low input eco efficient farming
As innovators and resource persons running farmer field schools for climate adaptive techniques such as resistant crops, pest control,local seed production, production of bio compost, organic farming, reforestation etc
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WE CALL FOR …..
Women need access to land to drive food security
Women as farmers for access to finance, training and
markets for their produce
Funds to demonstrate, learn and scale their practice &
networks
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