Study focuses on women’s garden skill

WOMEN who feed their families by growing vegetables on small plots of land in Papua New Guinea will be the subject of a new University of Canberra research project.
The UC has received an A$800,000 research grant — awarded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) – to send a group of researchers into the field to see whether improving the business skills and financial literacy of women vegetable growers in PNG would improve their ability to make a profit and live more securely.The research is led by the university’s associate dean in the Faculty of Education, Prof Barbara Pamphilon, who says the study is a first.
‘’Quite a lot of work has been done to improve the actual growing of vegetable or agricultural produce, and this has often focused on men. “Women smallholders grow vegetables for the family and sell the excess but the business skills behind planning and selling this type of produce has not been looked at to date,’’ Pamphilon said.The four-year study will focus on improving the business know-how of women farmers and supporting their role in providing for their families.‘’The long-term aim of the project is to improve family livelihood and family security. “We will be focusing on women’s work as part of a family small business, but it’s important that men are welcome and the whole family unit is supported.’’Part of the research grant would also build the capacity of local trainers. and researchers so that the project could continue once the study is finished.‘’We’re really looking to understand the contextual, cultural and social factors that impact on women both as farmers and on how they learn. “We will trial a range of ways to support learning that are well beyond simple training days – women are already joining into collective groups and we will build on this sort of local activity.’’Traditional practices such as bartering would be examined as business impediments.The project would focus on women in East New Britain, the Western Highlands and the area in Central province around Port Moresby.
It would include an email newsletter twice a year to the wider Papua New Guinea region to disseminate findings throughout the study. – Canberra Times.