WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE

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WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE

• SPONSORED BY THE SOUTHERN RURAL BLACK WOMENS
  INITIATIVE

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SOUTHERN RURAL BLACK
WOMENS INITIATIVE FOR
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

• Three State Collaboration
• Children Defense Fund (Mississippi)
• Federation of Child Care Centers (Alabama)
• Southwest Georgia project for Community Education
  (Georgia)
• Major Contributors Ford Foundation, MS
  Foundation, Margarite Casey Foundation
• Operates in 77 counties across the Black Belt

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THREE STATE COLLABORATIONN
ALABAMA
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MISSISSIPPI
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GEORGIA
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SOUTHERN RURAL BLACK
WOMENS INITIATIVE FOR
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

• Three State Collaboration
• Children Defense Fund (Mississippi)
• Federation of Child Care Centers (Alabama)
• Southwest Georgia project for Community Education
  (Georgia)
• Major Contributors Ford Foundation, MS
  Foundation, Margarite Casey Foundation
• Operates in 77 counties across the Black Belt

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MISSION OF SRBWI

• TO PROVIDE NOURISHMENT
• TO ENGAGE WOMEN IN ADVOCACY AND POLICY
  INITIATIVES
• TO ENGAGE WOMEN IN AN ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY
  DEVELOPMENT AGENDA
• TO DEVELOP ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY
• TO BUILD LINKAGES WITH WOMENS GROUPS COMMITTED
  TO ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

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OUR RESOLVE

• Secure employment or skills that will provide
  families a higher income
• Identify services needed in each community and
  create self-employment or small business
  opportunities to meet those needs
• Develop programs to help young people and senior
  citizens

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LATEST GROUP AGRICULTURE PROJECT

• SMALL ACREAGE AND LIMITED ACCESS TO FARM
  EQUIPMENT
• WOMEN WORKING AS A GROUP
• LOCAL MARKETING OF PRODUCE

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STEPPING OUTSIDE THE BOXNON-TRADITIONAL
FARMINGFOR WOMEN

• PECAN GROVES
• SOUTHERN ALTERNATIVE

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SOUTHERNALTERNATIVES AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE,
INC.
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PECAN PROCESSING PLANT
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Southern Alternatives

• Worker and Farmer owned cooperative
• Five members
• Grow and process pecans
• Pecan Candies

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Technical Assistance

• Provided by Federation and SRBWI
• Production
• Product Development
• Plant Operations
• Marketing
• Business Development
• Funding

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Funding

• Equal Exchange (2006, 2007)
• Oxfam America (2006, 2007)
• Presbyterian SDOP (2007)
• SRBWI Seed Capitol (2007)

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Markets

• Fair Trade Wholesale Market
• Equal Exchange
• Co-op Grocery Stores
• Bakery
• Mail Order

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New Packaging Product
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New Equipment
Heavy Duty Lift Stacker
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Hydraulic Drum Lifter Pallet Jack
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Color Sorter - Separates out dark pecan pieces
and halves from batch
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Women in Agriculture

• Three counties (Clay, Dougherty, Worth) with five
  to eight women actively growing produce
• Eight counties participating in 2008
• Non-traditional crops
• Joint marketing of produce with Flint River
  Farmers Cooperative

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LATEST FARMING PROJECT
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Technical Assistance

• Provided by Federation and SRBWI
• Production
• Marketing
• Partnership with Flint River Co-op
• Farmers Market
• Local Retail Markets
• Co-op development
• Funding from SRBWI Seed Capital Fund

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TYPICAL PEANUT FIELD
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HERBS
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Herbs grown by the Herb Maven on the C M
Mini-Farm

• Herbs grown by the Herb Maven on the C M
  Mini-Farm
• Herb Type Classification Use With
• Basil Annual Culinary Tomatoes based recipes
• Chives Perennial Culinary Eggs, meats,
  vegetables
• Cilantro Biennial Culinary Salsa
• Fennel Perennial Culinary Soups, salads
• Garlic Perennial Culinary Meats, vegetables
• Italian Parsley Biennial Culinary Garnish,
  salads, soup
• Lavender Perennial Aromatic/Ornamental
  Dried flower displays
• Marjoram Annual Culinary Meats, stews, salads
• Oregano Perennial Culinary Meats, vegetables
• Rosemary Perennial Aromatic/Culinary
  Meats, breads
• Tarragon Perennial Culinary Soups
• Thyme Perennial Culinary Meats, vegetables
• Sage Perennial Culinary Meats, sausage
• Spearmint Perennial Aromatic/Ornamental
  Beverages, garnish, desserts
• Parsley and Garlic are actually vegetables

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Planting in Raised Beds

• SRBWI members and farmers from Georgia, Alabama,
  Mississippi and South Carolina planting herbs in
  a raised bed at the Federation's Training Center
  in Epes, Alabama.

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WIC Market

• 144 Farmers in Georgia participating
• Farmers sell produce grown in Georgia or within
  25 miles of border
• Operates from May October
• Over 900,000 in revenue

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DOUGHERTY COUNTY HEALTH DEPT.
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DOUGHERTY COUNTY HEALTH DEPT.
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CAMILLA NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER
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FLINT RIVER FARMERS COOPERATIVES

• Located in Baker County
• Operated by Farmers from Baker and Brooks
  Counties
• Usually can produce 30,000 Pounds of Fresh
  Pot-Ready Collards
• Capable of Slicing Squash
• Capable of Snapping Beans
• Shelling Peas

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TRAINING RESOURCES

• SARE
• RISK MANAGEMENT

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ALBANY FARMERS MARKET

• Located West Broad Avenue and North Jackson
  Street in Albany-Dougherty County Parking Deck
• Opened Every Saturday 800am-100pm
• Only Southwest Georgia Fresh Vegetables and
  Fruits are sold
• Produce sold grown by local farmers

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CONTACT INFORMATION

• www.srbwi.org