1. POWER project: Focus on Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture linking to Unpaid Care Work Experience from Bangladesh   

2. Burden of UCW and CRSA/Agroecology Practices by Women
Received training on vegetable gardening jointly by POWER Project and Government’s Department of Agriculture Extension.
Jamila prepared land sustainable way: ``At first I hoed the soil and left it for 1-2 days. So, toxic gas come out. Then mix up organic fertilizer …. give time to soil for mixing and prepare bed….water does not stand in the root. When the soil is ready, I sow the seeds….’’
She says “Use of chemical fertilizer make soil unfertile and sometime burns. We learnt not to use chemical fertilizer and pesticide. We use organic fertilizer like compost and organic pest management like pheromone trap, pouring ash, making organic pesticide etc.
It is very difficult for me to manage extra time for gardening, producing vegetable after completing UCW. My husband supports to do the household chores, that helps me a lot to work in garden but it is not enough.
Keeping a gap between beds, so that water does not stand in the bed.
Ms. Jamila Khatun, (age 45), member of `Amrao Pari Women Group, Lalmonirhat

3. Flood Resilient Home Garden Practices by Participants of POWER project
Anjuara Begum does not have enough land for gardening. She also lives in a river bank area so flooding is very frequent in her home: which is why Anjuara choose to do her vegetable garden in sack.
“I can cultivate vegetables for whole year even during flood. I meet up my family nutrition and earn some money by selling vegetable.”
In her homestead, she cultivates some vegetable in sack, plastic bucket. She puts compost mixed soil in the sacks. Then she sows the seeds. It is also a portable thing. During heavy rainfall and flood, it is easily moved up.
“We are living in wetland and agriculture office is far long from here, it takes 5/6 hrs to go and coming back. If I go there who will do my household works, taking care of my children.. As a result I am deprived to learn and practice sustainable agriculture…” Anjuara says.
Anjuara Begum, secretary of Koel women group of Uria Union, Gaibnadha

4. Burden of UCW reduces scope of practice CRSA and progress
“I produce vermin compost to use in my vegetable garden. I also sell the compost’’, Rikta Begum says. She also replied, ``People from nearby area comes to collect/buy vegetable from us. As they know the vegetable we produce is good and chemical free.’’ Rikta has to do all her household chores, cooking, cleaning, taking care of little children, taking care of cattle, feeding them all, attending guests at home etc. She wakes up at 5am and goes to sleep at 11pm. During this time, she has to manage all her household unpaid care work as well as gardening. Her husband tries to help her when he could manage time from his tailoring job. But he is also a sick person and cannot do more. Rikta says “Burden of unpaid care work is reducing my progress. I feel overburdened, exhausted….. Though I am dreaming to grow more vegetable and sell them in big market. I can not go to Agriculture extension office, Union Parishad always to learn more.. Even to observe other farmers’ field who practice it…..it is actually a challenge for me.”
Rikta Begum is showing her vermin compost container
Vermi compost

5. Marketing is still a challenge for POWER project Participants
“Before receiving the training from POWER project I was not aware about vegetable gardening. My husband used to cultivate paddy, potato, corn etc in the land. But now he also grows vegetables with me there. He used chemical pesticides to kill insects. Now we use pheromone tra. We also make organic pesticide on our own. We practice multi cropping by fencing beside the garden and cultivating yard long bin/Cowpea etc. We keep in mind to use all the unused land, corners, shed for cultivation.” ---Fatema Begum Fatema produces a good amount of vegetable in her garden. But she hesitates about going market, she is embarrassed. Her husband, Md. Sharifuddin said, ``I am here to take the vegetables in the market. She doesn’t need to go there. If I will be not around, then she may try’’.
Fatema Begum of Amrao Pari Nari Dall
pheromone trap in Fatema's garden

6. VAW making Challenge of Marketing
I am selling vegetable in this market for 3 months. I could take the stand after making my family understand about, ..They have seen my income is helping to the family. So, they started helping me.’’….Ms. Saleha Begum (age-40)
Beginning,
Barriers from family members (Husband, Father in law, Mother in law, elder son)
Barriers from the community people including men and women.
Barriers of stereotyped male biased gender norms of the society.
She had to hear words like -``You are a woman; woman cannot go out of home. You must do the work for family. A woman working in the field, in an open place, in front of all is a dishonorable matter, against our culture.” …. I had to hear sneering words. Some people say they will not buy things from a woman. They make smirk face” Saleha says.
Gradually she made her family understand that income from one family member is not enough. If I can contribute, our family will run well.’’ Her husband understood and convinced.
Saleha says, ``Situation has been changing. But it is not like that all the problems have gone away. Long way to go to achieve equal rights of women and men, which was declared by our Prime Minister.”
`Earlier only women customers came to buy from me. It makes me feel unease to go to market. But I never lost my courage. I continue my work. Now everyone come to buy from me as they know I have chemical fertilizer and pesticide free vegetables.’’
Saleha Begum in Katadara market

7. Thanks