At the end of the training, our group benefited from seed donations and received a motor to irrigate our crops. The irrigation system helped us a lot. I can cultivate more plots than before; the work is less painful, and my market yield has increased by 85%. In this period of COVID-19, we were also trained on the manufacture of liquid soap and received masks to protect ourselves and continue our activities. I am saying a big thank you to WEP-Togo and the Women2030 program. Our wish is that this program continues to support us to strengthen our climate change resilience.”
These stories highlight how prioritizing growth over people and the planet exacerbates gender inequality. Excluding women from conversations on environmental preservation and climate-just farming practices denies them opportunities to generate local solutions to global problems and propose their own gender-just sustainable alternatives. This exclusion further exposes them to the threats of climate change. Ph: Essi Klutse, farmer at Hévi, coordinator of the women group PERSEVERANCE
Ph: Julienne Afelike, farmers in Nyogbogan, Agou
The Women2030 program contributed towards supporting farmers to develop sustainable agricultural techniques. The Women2030 program drew a strong link between environmental justice, gender justice and women’s rights. As we see in various stories in this booklet, women were supported to become advocates for more sustainable environmental practices. These are examples of a global movement looking to transform human interaction with the environment by dismantling the current economic models and systems that trigger the climate change crisis. Women are at the forefront of climate resilience. If women are disproportionately affected by climate change, they also lead innovative solutions for our resilience to climate change. WEP-Togo also was able to enter into dialogue with farmers and share practices that improve the soil, such as composting. This is an example of good practices that show how women’s groups reclaim access and control over the resources they rely on, while integrating sustainable solutions that contribute to preserving local ecosystems. This improves communities’ resilience and their capacity to feed and care for themselves.
AREAS Of IMPACT:
Capacities Built.
Who produces the food you consume? How is it produced? Are you aware of the policies that support farmers’ rights and sustainable practices in your country? How might these policies affect you?
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