News
Ethiopia
8 March 2011
International Women’s Day – 8th March
In Africa 60 to 80 percent of the agricultural labour force are women. At Farm Africa we believe that Africa’s farmers, many of whom are women, can contribute greatly towards feeding the continent.
Women, the farmers of Africa, have a life-changing role to play in increasing food production to bring an end to hunger.
International Women’s Day is a chance to celebrate the wonderful achievements of women around the world and on this, the centenary of this day. At Farm Africa we want to celebrate the hard work and successes of a group of women in the SNNPR and Oromiya regions of Ethiopia.
Since 2009Â Farm Africa has been working directly with rural women in 172,000 households in the two regions to improve their involvement in economic activities, working with them to gain a better understating of their legal rights, and to become more involved in community decision-making.
In order to improve women’s involvement in economic activities Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLAs) were set up to enable women to gain access to credit. Leadership training has been provided to 665 members and 192 VSLA kits to help start the groups have been shared. Through the Village Saving and Loan groups household security is already improving with women being able to access loans without having to sell household items to do so.
Farm Africa has worked with the community to select and set up 65 Women’s Asset Groups (WAGs). The aim is to reduce poverty levels and improve food security in the poorest households in the project area These groups, made up of women from 2,560 households are receiving assets such as sheep and goats and skills to improve their household security.
The members of the WAGs have received training in animal husbandry, the seeds and skills to grow fodder to feed their animals and have established an insurance fund for their animals. In the last year 5,100 sheep and goats have been distributed, and their offspring will be used to pass on to future participants.
Fifty six women have been trained and equipped as Community Animal Health Workers, with a further 34 receiving refresher training. They help not only the group members but provide assistance to the wider community too; they have already helped to treat 18,625 animals!
Women are learning the skills to become traders of butter, grain, sheep and goats.
The project is also raising awareness of gender and legal rights. Over the last year 29,630 people, men and women have received training in consultation with government partners.
Fifty one women have been trained as Community Based Legal Advisors (CBLAs). Their role is to help women in the community to learn about women’s rights to protect themselves and other women against violence and discrimination. These women receive basic legal training, uniforms, reference books and lunch allowances to help them to travel outside their Kebeles to handle cases. In last year 103 cases have been handled.
This project shows just some of the ways that Farm Africa is working to support women in eastern Africa, enabling them to improve their household security and livelihoods.