To learn from the successful implementation of the Women’s Empowerment Farmers Business School (WEFBS) approach in Cambodia, Kenya and Uganda, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is organizing a capitalization meeting in Naivasha, Kenya, from 30 May to 2 June 2023.
The Women’s Empowerment Farmers Business School (WEFBS) approach is an approach developed by FAO, in partnership with the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) and Care International, which aims to promote the economic empowerment of rural women by strengthening the capacity of rural men and women farmers to create income-generating enterprises while transforming gender relations in households, communities and markets. The approach has been piloted in Cambodia since April 2021, as well as in Kenya and Uganda.
The Kenya Capitalization Meeting therefore provided a platform for WE-FBS national implementing partners and collaborators from the three countries to review the achievements gained from the implementation, reflect on lessons learned, and discuss potential opportunities for replicating and scaling up the WE-FBS approach.
Cambodian Experience
In Cambodia, WE-FBS is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and departments in Siem Reap and Banteay Meanchey provinces. The initiative has reached over 2,000 producers, 60 percent of whom are women.
Speaking about the Cambodian experience during the Kenya Capitalization Workshop, Mr. Um Kosal, FAO Assistant Representative in Cambodia, said, “All participants in Cambodia expressed enthusiasm and interest in the approach and expressed their commitment to continue supporting the WE-FBS team.”
This approach is shared through the experiences of WE-FBS members in Cambodia, such as Kang Champa from Preah Net Preah, who talked about how WE-FBS had empowered her:
“In the first few WE-FBS sessions, I was passive and shy about sharing my own ideas. I thought my ideas were not good and might be rejected. My facilitator and other members tried to encourage me repeatedly in the group discussions, so I gained some confidence in expressing myself in the group, and then I felt more motivated to present the results of my group discussions to the larger group.”
Similarly, Ms. Thi Tola, a member in Sotornikim, Siem Reap, shared her experiences of implementing some of the WE-FBS, 24-hour daily activities and the gender balance tree, to discuss with her husband and how to reap all these positive results for the family:
Tola said, “At first, he was hesitant to join the discussions with me, but I pushed him. My husband and I now share more responsibilities in housework and childcare. When he got home, he didn’t go out drinking with friends, he took care of the kids. He understood better how busy I was from the time I woke up until I went to bed and how little sleep I got. The discussion on the gender balance tree was more interactive. We identified what activities we did for income generation and for our families without income and expenses. We found out that we had unnecessary expenses and we are making plans to reduce them to save more money for our farm business. I also found that our relationship has improved.”
Building a Community of Practice
Stakeholders during the Kenyan meeting expressed their enthusiasm for WE-FBS and the creation of a Community of Practice, which can foster cross-country learning and enable the development of gender-responsive policies and programmes. Interactions with members of the farming community through meetings and face-to-face visits also drew positive feedback and highlighted the benefits of the approach for the participating communities.
Overall, the WE-FBS approach has made significant strides in the three countries, benefiting over 10,000 individuals, 60 percent of whom are women. The approach ensures equal participation and opportunities, recognizing that women and men face different challenges in livelihoods and commercial farming. The approach places both women and men farmers at the heart of the change process, encouraging them to reflect on their roles, available resources and farming activities. Through the programme, participants develop strategies to enhance their commercial potential.
Reflections and lessons learned from implementing the approach will inform the scaling up of future interventions for greater impact and sustainable outcomes in promoting gender equality and more inclusive agri-food systems. FAO
