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08 May 2018

Strengthening Women’s Fisher and Agriculture Groups to increase Nutrition and Family Income in NTT

Project Leader: Mrs Raineldis Boleng Hayon

University of Origin: Monash University

Collaborating Organisations: Monash University, Melbourne; and University of Queensland, Brisbane

Project Locations : NTT     

Activity Type : Community development activities     

Sector : Small and medium enterprise development, Agriculture, Aquaculture/fisheries, and Women and Gender Studies

Project Objectives:

  1. To increase the knowledge and skills of women farmers and fishers to have new source of nutrition and income that can improve the living standards of their families.

  2. To start productive-economic businesses for 100% of members of Women Farmer/Fisher Groups because have access to their own capital and resources

  3. To contribute other sources of income for 75% of Women Group Members that can directly contribute to the daily life of the family.

  4. To improve skill for 50% of Women (especially wives who join this group) because they are able to express their thoughts, have their opinions listened to and can be directly involved in decision making within the household, neighborhood (RT / RW) and village meetings because they possess their own knowledge, and will have fixed daily/monthly incomes as a result of this project.

Project Description:

To increase the nutrition and income of two women's groups, one for agriculture and one for fisheries, in two villages on the southern coast of West Timor. The per capita family income in these villages ranges from IDR 150 -350,000 (A$13.50 to A$31.50) per month obtained from the selling of fish, weaving crafts, palm tree sugar, seaweed and river sand. Farming in coastal dry land areas does not meet daily nutritional requirements. The activities in the project will increase the skills and knowledge of the women in running small businesses, and an additional activity on group savings and loans will allow women to borrow money at very low interest rates (approx. 1%) as opposed to borrowing money at high interest rate (20-30%) from local loan sharks.

Project Beneficiaries:

The direct benefits will be 125 women farmers-fishers who are members of 4 Women Groups in these two villages, as well as 625 core family members.
The indirect benefit is that there will be a place of learning for the entire community in these two villages, which amounts to 1,500 families.

Priority Development Area:

Economic institutions and infrastructure            

Links with Australia:

Dr Paul McShane (Monash University), and Dr. Gunnar Kirchhof (University of Queensland)

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