Organic farming has become one of the most sought- after part time job for women looking for self-sufficiency in home gardening in Kiribati. Organic farming, the only practiced method for both subsistence and cash crop farming since the early 1990s since the abolition of fertilizers in the country.
Since the introduction of growing newly introduced food crops into the country by the Agriculture Division, women has taken over the agribusiness industry, through trainings and workshops. They sustain their farms with the help of their children who assisted by collecting organic waste materials such as green and brown leaves, sea-weed collection, watering the garden and learning to sell marketable produce.
The Kiribati Outer Islands Food and Water Project’s funded IFAD project has empowered women through numerous trainings conducted on the nine established project islands implemented in the Southern
Empowering women through the project’s training on Humans Right, Goal Setting, Johari Windows, Gender Mainstreaming, Sensitivity and Establishing women’s Organization has been provided.
Cultural Aspects: Culturally, I Kiribati women tend to be left out from decision-making, training, education and employment. In the late 1960s, women lived in the capital as housewives and the government work force was mostly men during the colonial era.
It was in the early 80s when an abrupt change came into being. Young girls flocked secondary schools and office spaces.
As of now, the government work force now is about 70% made up of women in Kiribati.
They have become heads of their households with equal rights as men in decision-making and running the household.
Independent.
Compared to women living in the 1970s and a woman of today, the traditional custom where decision-making were left to men has now been reversed.
Top government positions have been filled with more than 60% of women holding top positions and most of the jobs.
In today’s trend, most government, businesses and private sectors are mostly occupied by women.
From the women’s perspectives, money is the leading factor to their independence.
House wives have moved to take on sustainable small-scale farming. This empowers them to earn from their own garden plot, sell the surplus produce and earn their own money which gives them independence.
They are no longer reliant on their husbands for household needs and have enough set aside for their children’s school needs.
Community. Tending a home garden and filling it with leafy vegetables, fruits and edible crops with tubers needs community efforts. Most communities are run by women and they looked after each member’s needs. The practice is to help with home gardening, digging trenches, collecting compost, provide plants and establish home gardens.
Organic farming needs organic matter demonstrated during one of the trainings on project outer islands.
The women consider that independence results from interdependency on community resources. They are interested in securing the independence of the family unit, not themselves as individuals.
Decentralisation.
Locally grown and imported foods is very important and one of the women’s roles per household inchoosing what the family needs to eat on a daily basis. Women decide what should be consumed and the surplus is set aside.
Markets are also set up by women who run it and decide for themselves what produce are marketable. Marketable products are freshly picked from the women’s home gardens and delivered directly to customers or sold at markets.
Locally produced goods by women are brought to the markets with price tags and unsaleable goods are collected at the end of the day.
Harmony with nature.
Land in Kiribati is an issue as there is not enough land or shortage of land to set aside for farming purposes.
Every space, tiny or big is set aside for building houses.
Protecting the land for now and for future generations is high on the women’s agenda for future generations.
The new elements:
Agricultural practices for fast-growing crops such as cabbage are planted. Women plant these for cash crops and at the same time to prevent soil erosion, increase nutrients in the soil and provide organic matter.
Organic farming is being practiced and controlled by lots of women groups such as church groups, youth groups headed by women, backyard home gardeners and vendors of surplus vegetables.
Healthy lives for promoting wellbeing for all ages are being directed by women different groups through sustainable organic farming.
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