Two days, eight interviews, and countless insights -my trip to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from 18-19 October was inspiring.
In my conversations with women farmers and agricultural extension workers directly involved in plant pest and disease (PPD) management, I was struck by their wisdom, resilience, and untapped leadership potential.
From the young farmer like Nova Karuniawati, 20 years old, from Krapyak Triharjo Sleman, who uses biopesticides to combat pests in her chilli farm to the seasoned extension workers who help guide their farmer colleagues — each has a unique story, on both the individual and collective challenges and successes in integrated pest management (IPM).
Below agricultural extension workers Hendra Yuni Fitriantoko, Cahya Pramono, Mytha Sugara Kusuma Winanda, and Mei Rini share a light-hearted moment before diving deep into their serious and critical contributions to the IPM of Indonesia as part of our upcoming video and webinar series development.
Why Does This Matter? Mark Your Calendars!
These interviews are the groundwork for an impactful webinar series to be hosted on November 23 and 30. With a focus on gender-responsive approaches to IPM, we aim to bring these invaluable perspectives to a broader audience. You'll hear about the specific roles women play in pest and disease management, their hands-on experiences with successful IPM strategies and the challenges they face. Our extension worker speakers will also share their insights on promoting gender equality and inclusiveness in their farming communities.
What's Next?
This is more than a webinar. It's a movement. We want to share the stories of farmers and create a platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and most importantly, actionable change. Whether you're a farmer, researcher, funder, or policymaker, these webinars aim to serve as the starting point for developing projects that benefit not just women in agriculture but all farmers and our farming communities.
Join us to be part of a conversation that turns insights into actions. Stay tuned for "Listening to the Voices of Women Farmers" on November 23, 2023, at 4:00-5:30 PM Singapore Time and "The Role of Agricultural Extension Workers in Gender-Sensitive Approaches" on November 30, 2023, at 4:00-5:30 PM Singapore Time. We can't wait to see you there!
Interested? Be sure to join our upcoming webinars! Click here to REGISTER for Webinar 1 or here for Webinar 2.
A big thanks to everyone who contributed to this series, including our funders at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and all the special people in the photo below!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marren Bonacua, a proud alumna of the University of the Philippines, is deeply passionate about involvement in various fields, ranging from trade and food security to nutrition and women's issues. Beyond her professional pursuits, she enjoys reconnecting with nature and spending time with friends. You can connect with her on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/gmbonacua. or info@aseanfawaction.org.