WOMEN'S FARMING PROJECT
Kpo’ma Women has partnered with a group of women farmers in Bong County, Liberia. This group is passionate and highly skilled in their work, but outdated manual tools limit production, require arduous labor hours and lead to post-harvest losses. The women farmers have identified a critical need for equipment such as palm oil processing machinery, rice production equipment and cassava processors. Access to this equipment will allow them to reduce their labor, diversify their products and increase their income for other advancement opportunities.
Women farmers in rural communities face enormous challenges. Liberia’s long civil war has destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure, making access to markets and other entrepreneurial opportunities extremely difficult.
OUR ACTION PLAN
We believe providing communities with essential tools such as rice mills, PICS Grain storage bags, solar lanterns, and training to use these equipments will greatly reduce labor and increase productivity. This promotes an increase in income for other advancement opportunities.
Improvements in farm technology, "Must be private-sector driven, environmentally compatible and climate smart, and must also be economically viable and affordable, especially for small-scale farmers who constitute the bulk of African farmers. It is vital that it targets women, who bear the brunt of African agriculture"
(FAO & AUC. 2018).
KEY FACTS
Cassava has been recognized as a strategic crop in Africa due to its high potential to contribute to pro-poor rural and agricultural development (IFAD).
Upgrading the rice value chain involves milling technologies.
Smallholders risk losing out in development if unable to upgrade processing technologies.
In Liberia, almost 95% of smallholder oil palm producers use the traditional method of manually extracting palm oil from palm fruit. When processed by hand, about 50% of the oil is lost.
OUR PLAN IN ACTION: PENGAI VILLAGE
We want to thank everyone who helped us raise funds for our Women Farmer's Project. The funding covered:
A Rice Mill
This equipment will allow women to decrease their labor and increase productivity. The rice mill will also be used by farmers from nearby villages for a small fee. This fee will be used for maintenance of the machine.
Training on Equipment Use and Maintenance
The Women's Cooperative chose 8 people to be trained on the operation and maintenance of the rice mill. Learning these skills is key to empowerment.
Portable Solar Lanterns
There is no electricity in the village. These small solar lanterns will provide an easy and safe way to light for homes. Thank you to Luminaid.
PICS Grain Storage Bags
These post harvest storage bags are a simple and cost-effective way to store crops and seeds without chemicals . Using these bags improve food security and decreases post-harvest losses.
