Pakistan: Going organic and becoming self-sufficient: Women use technical skills of kitchen gardening and organic farming

In 2013, Shirkat Gah ran technical skills trainings on kitchen gardening and organic farming to enhance women’s economic resources and livelihood options. These were run in three sites within Punjab: Mian Chanuu, Khanewal, and Okara. 

These trainings were part of Shirkat Gah’s activity under WELDD’s Outcome 4, Land and Economic Rights. The WELDD peasant women leaders were very excited about learning their new skills and growing vegetables using the organic methods they had just learned. The women replicated the training with relatives and women in their neighbourhoods, passing on the knowledge they gained at the training. As a result, 15 women have grown vegetables using the natural compost fertilizers (compost) and bio-pesticides, which they learnt to make domestically.

After the training, there were follow-up visits arranged which revelaed the good news that the gap between citizens and state duty-bearers had been succesfully bridged! If any problems or questions arose, women were in constant contact with the facilitator of the organic farming training, Mr. Muhammad Illyas. Women started regularly practicing organic farming and continued to cultivate different seasonal vegetables, including tomatoes, chillies, sweet peppers, pumpkins, okra, and bitter gourds.  

From the house of WELDD leader Aster Javed

The women told us that the curry made with organic vegetables grown at home is so good it tastes similar to the taste of curry made with meat. They now enjoy the fresh organic vegetables which they have grown themselves.