Training for women groups in small agriculture based businesses

Most families, especially women in developing countries, are resorting to small-scale businesses as a response to economic hardships resulting from world inflation and economic changes.Traditionally women in subsistence farming have always sold surplus farm produce to earn income. Although funds are available to promote small scale businesses for women groups, most groups do not achieve the benefits of the group membership. Problems experienced by women in agriculture-based small scale businesses include small and marginal land holdings, low level of technology and lack of understanding of effective organization strategies to grow and market their products. This training program has been developed to combat organization problems in women s agriculture based income generating activities. Most women farmers have limited financial resources and rely on traditional farming techniques. Provision of income generating credit through groups can allow these women to adopt farming technologies that can meet their immediate and long term farming needs while also generating income for their families.

Autorentext

Prof Lucy Lynn Maliwichi has a BSc degree in Agriculture , a MSc in Nutrition and a PhD degree from Cornell University. She is the Head of Department of Consumer Sciences, University of Venda, South Africa. Her research is in Infant Feeding/Childcare Practices, Indigenous Knowledge Systems/Maternal Health, Food Security, and Sustainable Farming.