“Innovate to change: the autonomy of rural women and their contribution to reducing poverty and food insecurity”

In October 2019, the “Innovate to change: the autonomy of rural women and their contribution to reducing poverty and food insecurity” contest was held in Brazil. It’s an initiative by the Rural Women Campaign, Women with Rights and in partnership with the Moeda Seeds Bank.

The contest was instituted in order to focus on solutions implemented by women and to provide visibility to their current successes and future challenges they face in reducing rural poverty and ensuring food and nutritional security.

Moeda has plunged headlong into this initiative. We can honestly state that the journey has been incredible, bringing to light the challenging realities and those that need to be seen. We had the opportunity to get to know struggling and creative women who, even while facing adverse circumstances, have overcome hardships and are making a real difference in their communities. They are true examples who inspire us and fill us with hope and strength.

Of the 271 initiatives entered, 89.1% address the issue of food security. This high percentage merely underscores the assertion by the FAO, which states: “The women from rural areas account for more than half of food production, perform a key role in preserving biodiversity and guarantee food sovereignty and security through the production of healthy food.” According to the participating proposals, the contribution to reducing food insecurity is related to the production of healthy food on an agro-ecological basis, in a way that creates income and supports educational processes.

At Moeda, we fight for equality between men and women. We believe that this is an essential requirement for sustainable development, given that women are the ones who suffer most from social, political and economic inequality. There is quite a bit of evidence that backs this statement up. Among them, there are two that are extremely relevant: only 30% of the land belongs to women and only 10% of those who can obtain credit are women. Out of all the submitted entries, 68.8% reported that the venture has faced some obstacles simply because it was run by women.

It was also found that all proposals work with the Sustainable Development Goals and actively play a role in helping Brazil achieve its goals. 65% of them stated that they contribute to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 62% to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 52% to SDG 1 (Eradication of Poverty) and almost 50% of those registered declared to contribute to SDG 5 (Gender Equality). To some extent, all 17 SDGs were cited.

Nearly 100% of the submitted experiences have claimed to play a role in the autonomy of rural women by helping to guarantee their own income, offering socio-educational support, training and capacity building, generating visibility for women’s work, adding value to knowledge, raising their self-esteem, promoting self-organization, encouraging and supporting the organization of the production, processing and marketing of women’s products and even more.

A vast range of products and services for rural women from all over Brazil were identified, including: handicrafts, horticulture, manioc and derivatives, drinks and frozen fruit pulps, bakery products, natural fibers, jams, jellies and preserves, vegetal extraction products, oils, meats, milk and dairy products, natural cosmetics, medicinal products, spices, specialty coffees, various types of honey, seeds and various supplies and services. An impressive wealth.

All the above production is committed to sustainable development. All projects declared: not to conduct any initiative that generates pollution or causes negative impacts on ecosystems; not to practice the excessive use or loss of natural resources; not allow animals to be mistreated; not violate national regulations; not to practice exploratory forms of work; not to violate human rights; and to not undertake any action that could have negative impacts on communities.

The initiatives also feature some rather interesting approaches, including: 93% of these experiences claimed to have recuperated some traditional production or practice; the cultivation and rescue of native species were mentioned various times; degraded areas were recovered through agro-ecological practices; traditional recipes were seen to be passed from mother to daughter; natural fermentation practices, artisan techniques and use of local raw materials in creating handicrafts are being used; traditional toys and games associated with cultural identity are being made; medicinal and cosmetic plants are being grown and utilized; and an impressive and far greater amount of knowledge is being recovered by rural women.

The competition points out another hint: 80% of the enterprises asserted that the main product or service was created based on knowledge that was passed down from generation to generation, within the family or community. This data is extremely pertinent because most women, in addition to recovering traditional knowledge and practices, are using this knowledge or practice to produce and generate income, thereby contributing to their autonomy. This is a cause for celebration, as the autonomy of rural women is an ongoing concern of our project. We believe that traditional knowledge can not be lost over time. Realizing that the knowledge contained in each enterprise involved is being passed from mother to daughter is something that draws attention and should be commemorated. This wealth of knowledge cannot be lost over the years, and the preservation of that continuity depends on every one of us. Society as a whole has a duty and obligation to enhance and value knowledge such as this.

The innovative aspect of most of the participating projects is exactly the appreciation of the culture and local identity that has been printed on the products. Respect for the environment, the presence of fair relations and the genuine contribution to the autonomy of rural women are what make these projects stand out. This is why we can argue that products and services actually tell a story that is inherent to them. Lastly, most of the participating initiatives reported that their products are valued in the local market, especially by conscious consumers who like to know where the products they are consuming originated, seeking to generate impact from their consumption relationship and to contribute to a more fair and supportive society.

In closing, the following can be emphasized: being a woman in Brazil is not an easy task, yet these women are distinguishing themselves. They are producing healthy food, creating wealth, preserving and restoring the environment, producing services, promoting education and contributing to our country in various ways. This is why we can declare that all participants are already winners. The experiences that have been shared with us through this competition prove that we are on the right track and that we can believe in a brighter future.

It is in this spirit that we would like to announce the winning entry and the honorable mentions. It wasn’t easy for the jury to select just one initiative, but the criteria were all strictly observed.

Honorable Mentions

Horta Mandala das Mulheres de Carneirinho Caruaru — PE (agriculture)

Cida Pescadora — BA (fishing)

Flavors of the Cerrado — MG (extractive)

Agro-ecological production in a Quilombola Community — PR (quilombola)

Mbya Guarani Traditional Crops (Indigenous)

The grand prize WINNER of the Contest, noting its contribution to the autonomy of rural women, the reduction of poverty and food insecurity, was: MIMAS — Indigenous Movement of Women from Alto São Marcos.