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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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