Women turn to farming

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By DEMAS TIEN
Women in Goilala district in Central have turned to agriculture to improve family economies and eradicate poverty in communities.
More than 100 women established an agriculture group called Goilala District Women in Agriculture Cooperative Society in 2009 with the aim to stop hunger and poverty in the district.
Group president Mary Keni told The National that she initiated the group because agriculture was the key element that could improve family economy.
“I am spearheading this group to improve lives through planting, cultivating and selling,” Keni said
“We are starting with women because they are managers of families.
“We think that agriculture can improve lives of people, especially people living rural areas.
“Being here in Goilala for the last 18 years, I see that there are many things that needs to be done to benefit the people.
“I am currently the primary school headmistress here.
“I see many children suffering so I went out of my way to initiate the group to help women.”
She said at the moment there were 30 active farmers in the group.
They have plans to make the group prosperous in the future by increasing the capacity of their farming to generate more money and move into other businesses.
“We want to see farmers move on to build guest houses, trade stores, and into poultry, piggery farming, cattle farming and many more activities in the future,” Keni said.
“We have faced challenges in terms of funding but we managed to strive through over the years,” she said.
Goilala MP William Samb visited the group’s farm site last Sunday.
Samb encouraged the women to engage in agricultural activities because that was the only source of income for people in rural areas.
The farmers have planted peanuts, corn, cabbages, kaukau and onions.