WOMEN’S ECONOMY: Director of Gemawan, Laili Khairnur, gave explanation on “Strengthening Women’s Economic Development in Sintang and Kapuas Hulu Regencies” program supported by MCA Indonesia, located at My Home Hotel, Sintang, Thursday (18/08/016). Photo: Heru Suprihartanto/GEMAWAN.
Sintang, GEMAWAN.
Women’s Consortium for Life Sustainability in West Kalimantan is a network of civil society organizations (Ormas) which has a commitment to empower women in an effort to improve life quality and social change.
“This consortium consists of various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working on issues of empowerment, advocacy, and campaigning for women’s rights, they are: Gemawan, PPSW Borneo, Dian Tama Foundation, Equator Women Journalist Alliance (JPK), and Simpai Kapuas, Sintang Regency,” Laili Khairnur, Director of Gemawan, said.
This program is supported by the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Indonesia, a grant management institution, a result of the collaboration between Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) of the United States and the Government of Indonesia.
MCA-Indonesia is acting as the trustee institution for Compact grant management (MCC), through the Regulation of the Minister of State for National Development Planning/Head of National Planning Agency number 2 of 2012 on April 2, 2013, as well as making the Compact Program officially operate in Indonesia.
“Kapuas Hulu and Sintang regencies are two of the five border regencies in West Kalimantan located at the eastern point which are directly adjacent to Malaysia (Sarawak, East Malaysia),” Laili Khairnur stated, starting the introduction of the program.
It was stated that Kapuas Hulu regency was designated as a Conservation Regency with the Regent’s Decree number 144/2003.
“Kapuas Hulu and Sintang regencies are also areas of the Heart of Borneo (HoB). On the other hand, land-based industries, such as palm oil, fish farming, logging concession (HPH) and industrial plantation forests (HTI) in these two regencies are also high enough,” Laili Khairnur explained.
She explained that the economy of the border areas, including these two regencies, is still dominated by the agricultural sector. It can be seen from the average percentage of the total gross regional domestic product (GRDP) of every regency.
Women play a dominant role in agricultural activities at the local level. This includes ensuring food adequacy and the security of family nutritions.
The main issue in the development of women’s empowerment is the low life quality and access, control, participation and welfare of women. This can be seen from the relatively low gender development index in Sintang and Kapuas Hulu regencies.
“This program provides a direct contribution to community empowerment, particularly for women to be able to increase productivity as female farmers, which has an impact on the improvement of the life quality of families,” she believes.
Productive land use, Laili Khairnur continued, environmentally friendly agricultural practices and the development of alternative commodities become the focus of this program intervention to contribute to the empowerment of women’s groups, eradication of poverty, and at the same time contribute to low-carbon development.
The women’s perspective in managing natural resources, including land, is the main capital in environmental conservation.
“This program was designed to contribute to the achievement of the program’s long-term goals, which are to increase household income and women’s independence. The program objectives are expected to be achieved through the four main program impacts (outcomes) and eight program outcomes (outputs) contained in the program’s logical framework,” Laili Khairnur said.
The total numbers of the beneficiaries of this program, she added, are a minimum of 500 women farmers spread over ten villages in six districts and two regencies, namely Kapuas Hulu and Sintang Regencies.
The total area of agricultural land facilitated with innovative agricultural methods that are more productive and environmentally friendly, is 70 hectares for various agricultural commodities in the ten villages.
The program also facilitates the strengthening of village economic institutions through the initiation of village economic institution development policies and village institutional design prototypes so that group economic activities can be integrated into village policies and regency development policies which still rely on the agricultural sector, as one of the primary bases of development.
“In addition to the program, it will also facilitate the documentation of program processes and best practices as part of efforts to promote women’s empowerment and improve the family economy, through eco-friendly sustainable agriculture,” Laili Khairnur said.
Director Laili Khairnur explained that the outputs (expected results) are, firstly, the existence of at least 20 organized women’s groups in the program area. Hold a program socialization in two regencies, then village meetings and group identification, and regular group meetings
Meanwhile, a series of organizational capacity development, such as group motivation training, community organizer (CO) training, advocacy and leadership training for women.
Afterwards, the existence of a women’s group network at the regency level in the program area through strategic planning, a network of women farmer groups at the regency level. Then, a meeting of women farmer group’s network in the regency.
Secondly, demonstration plots (Demplot) of sustainable agriculture on group lands. Conduct a survey of the potential for the development of agricultural demonstration plots and livelihood baselines in ten program villages.
Conduct a comparative study of women’s groups on farm lands which have succeeded in developing innovative agricultural methodological practices, such as the Hazton method, the technique of growing rice plants that adapting the physiology of the rice plant itself.
Meanwhile, a series of technical training related to eco-friendly agriculture includes training on the making of organic fertilizers, training on the production of organic pest control, introduction and practices of Hazton farming method innovation (seed treatment).
“Innovation of eco-friendly agricultural products based on women’s groups covers an area of 2 hectares per village, with a demonstration plot of rice for red and white rice production covers an area of 1 hectare per village. Then, the demonstration plot for vegetable crops covers an area of 0.75 hectares per village, the demonstration plot for medicinal plants covers an area of 0.25 hectares per village. An increase in agricultural productivity using the Hazton method in each group member’s land covers an area of 0.1 ha. The details are 500 people times 0.1 hectares equals 50 hectares,” Laili Khairnur explained.
Post-harvest product specifications, such as the procurement of milling machines and flour machines for every group. The procurement of product packaging machines for every village.
Regarding the series of business management training, Laili Khairnur explained that it is in the form of business bookkeeping for women’s groups training and business management and technical training.
There is a memorandum of understanding (MoU) of a cooperation of marketing with various parties. Then, there are seminars and workshops on drafting village regulations (Perdes) on Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes) at the regency level.
“The fellows who are basically from the Faculty of Law will help in the assistance of village regulations making that is fair to women. Similarly, in the structure of BUMDes that was launched, it involved village women,” Laili Khairnur stated.
The importance of village economic development institutions, there is a need for published documentation media of program learning. Then, the best practices of documentary movie “Women & Sustainable Agriculture”, the book making of program experience, the training of citizen journalism, the production of leaflets and profiles of women’s groups.
“In the program approach, in general, this program is implemented with five main integrative approaches. It is hoped that it can strengthen women’s groups as independent groups and movers of change in the future, increase the productivity of community agriculture, and strengthen local institutions in the village,” Laili Khairnur said.
Firstly, she explained, an approach of organizing and increasing women’s capacity is a series of empowerment activities and critical awareness building and motivation for women to be involved in women’s organizations. In short, active participation.
Secondly, innovative practice of eco-friendly sustainable agricultural management methods for more productive use of land by women who will be directly assisted by experts, to ensure the productivity quantity and quality, in order to be able to ensure an increase in household income and contribute to low emission development. In short, low-emission economy.
Thirdly, partnership and cooperation with village and regency governments to manage village potentials, participatory mapping of village areas, and to encourage the integration of the initiatives of women’s group economic activities in local policies. The basis is law number 6 of 2014 (Village Law).
Fourthly, documentation and campaigning of program processes and best practices to protect and organize community local wisdom in land management and other natural resources. In short, program knowledge management and publications.
Fifthly, program management which is effective, transparent and accountable. It is related to consortium resource management consisting of various NGOs based on fair and transparent women strengthening, in order to guarantee the achievement of program quality. (Gemawan-Mud)