Farming out benefits to women

Agriculture has become a key focus of economic empowerment, particularly for women.
Women in rural areas are now learning how to empower themselves and their families through agriculture and livelihood training through a partnership between Australian government and the Government of Papua New Guinea.
Trainings, under Australia’s partnerships with district development authorities, have already taken place in six districts – Talasea in West New Britain, Nuku in West Sepik, Mul-Baiyer in Western Highlands, Nawaeb in Morobe, Sohe in Northern and Manus.
The partnership was to strengthen local governance and support government’s priority of empowering provinces and districts to improve services and economic opportunities.
Rachel Rabura is a widow from Ukuni village in Mul-Baiyer and has been striving to earn a living to support her three sons after her husband passed away 11 years ago.
“My sons were barely in their teens, when I was left with the hardship of caring for them myself,” she said.
“Life was very hard.
“Sometimes I felt worried how I would stay sane while trying to care for my children.”
Last year, Rabura participated in an Australian-supported training on family farm teams, to learn how to transition from subsistence farming to income farming as a family team.
The training targets the head of households, particularly widows and single mothers, who rely on farming to care for their family.
“Family farms training has helped me to involve my sons more in our home affairs, by sharing responsibilities and making decisions together,” Rabura said.
She now has a flourishing garden of bok choy, peanuts, watermelon, sweet corn and cucumber, as well as chickens and a small trade store.
The training has helped increase her income and save for her sons’ education.
In other parts of the country, women have been learning the latest agricultural techniques to increase productivity and ensure food security.
Thirty-five women from Talasea attended a week-long training also funded by Australia and supported by the National Agriculture Research Institute (Nari) in Kerevat, East New Britain, to learn about new agricultural methods to improve productivity.
Roselyn Auka, one of the 35 participants, runs West New Britain’s only “meri safe haus” (women’s safe house).
Known as “Mama Roslyn”, she opens her home to up to 30 women seeking care, counselling and a safe place to stay following domestic violence.
“Many of the women are battered – not just physically, but emotionally,” Auka said.
“We try to help by teaching them little skills to help sustain them.”
She has since planted 125 taro seedlings using Nari’s organic cultivation and fertilisation techniques.
Auka plans to expand her vegetable garden to help more women.
It was in line with Talasea district’s five-year development plan to drive community development and support agriculture.
“Women need to be given opportunities to transform their lives and make a difference in their communities,” Agatha Kapi, women’s representative for the Talasea DDA, said.
“Women also need to be more involved in development and achieving the goals in the district development plan.
“I wanted our women to gain confidence and, as a ripple effect, be role models to younger women and girls in the community.”
In the last six months, 210 people, including 160 women, were trained about better farming techniques to help them progress from subsistence to commercial.