Tell us about the social impact of your innovation. Please include both numbers and stories as evidence of this impact
The main impact is rural & village empowerment. In this region, 99% predominantly live on subsistence farming and have little income. With better understanding of local resources, natural environments and modern agricultural technology, farmers will be able to go beyond subsistence farming and sell their products in the market. By transforming the way food is grown, produced and cooked we will unite the community, and compassionately adapt food cultures of the old with the new. This will also create new skills and maintain them for future generations. The project will also educate Papua New Guineans about the importance of protecting food & seed capital. We will work with women to revive dormant traditional recipes & food preparations using local produce alongside the newer favorites of rice and canned foods This will enhance & embrace food production in nutrition and for the betterment of all, recipes can be reproduced to market and to circulate to nearby villages and further improve other lives. The project will change attitudes to value their local resources and move away from the culture of dependency and poor agriculture and food habits.
Problem: Describe the primary problem(s) that your innovation is addressing
IIokea Village is a small coastal Village on the Gulf of Papua. It is one of the least developed areas in Papua New Guinea, it is facing adverse weather conditions, rising sea level due to climate change and hasty economic & cultural transitions, it is abundant in rural land & marine resource however traditional ways are dying out fast as young people steer away from anything traditional and find worth in drugs, alcohol & fast food. There is increasing poverty, over 50% of population under 20 years of age most are unemployed and live in villages like Iokea, they turn to stealing and cause localized insecurity. Women’s Development Foundation aims to create an environment of worth through interactive skills of food production & valued culture from the old to the new in maintaining food capital. Lack of education and funding are the greatest obstacles denying villagers like Iokea to improved nutrition and better food production.
Actions: Describe the steps that you are taking to make your innovation a success. What might prevent that success?
Working with the well established Berth Brown Memorial Group who run the village Men’s, Women’s, Youth & children’s Sunday school, although these are church run organizations most of the 6,000 villagers are in some way involved, the groups raise funds themselves and have little to no funding from elsewhere, much of the village needs are discussed and met through these groups, Women’s Development Foundations will be a community project that will be the undertaking of all theses community groups, with the necessary funding, planning and seed cultivation can begin. Crops will be designated and cleared by the groups with the “Pukari men” or Village Chiefs guidance. Chiefs and experienced farmers will provide instructions on what best to plant where and at what season. Certain cultural rituals and blessing are bestowed on plants for good harvest, which are traditional food cultures that will be practiced in the process & learnt by the young. Women & young girls will learn nutritional value to add to meals. Health workers & nutritionists will be invited to host workshops about various crops, their nutritional value & promoting good food cultures.
Results: Describe the expected results of these actions over the next three years. Please address each year separately, if possible
-Better Health & healthier people & communities
-Utilization and improved resource management
-Better infant & maternal health
-Food Security and through education the understanding of maintaining seed & food capital
-Promoting traditional food values and passing on the knowledge & skills for future generation
-Alleviating poverty
-Reducing culture of dependency and transition in a more compassionate way culturally & economically
-Value local produce & promote its value
-Income Generation
-Gender Equity
If your innovation seeks to impact public policy, how?
Approximately 150 words left (1200 characters).
