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More than 370 million indigenous peoples live in more than 70 countries around the world. While they make up about 5% of the world’s population, they account for about 15% of the world’s poor. This is the case for the indigenous Mayangna women of the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve in northern Nicaragua, who face poverty, isolation, domestic violence and triple discrimination based on gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. The Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) partnership hosted by FAO supports the Mayangna women in marketing local products and improving their livelihoods. Capacity-building workshops have taught the women how to improve the quality of their products and given them market knowledge, while also helping them preserve their culture. At the same time, the FFF has helped Mayangna women gain social and economic empowerment by strengthening the position of women producer organizations. This increased production and organizational capacity has given many women in the community hope for a better future.
Protecting culture and improving livelihoods
Telma Maria Rena Ramirez, a resident of Bonanza, in the Mayangna Territory, belongs to a group of Mayangna indigenous women whose work is to make wood from the bark of local trees. remember Handicrafts such as bags, folders and wallets are made from the tree. “This is the raw material left by our ancestors and it has a rich value to us,” said Thelma. “Now, as Mayangna women, we have begun to achieve economic independence for our families by selling our products, thanks to remember”
Through training, exchanges and ongoing mentoring, the Forest and Farm Support Project is helping Mayangna women improve the quality of their products, diversify their markets and get better prices. About 40 Mayangna women and young people from 10 forest and farm producer organizations participated in market analysis and development sessions. The local forests have been providing the women with products such as fruit and fiber for their own use. remember Handicraft making serves as an income-generating activity and the Forest and Farm Foundation also helps preserve the Mayangna culture.
More than 200 women also supplement their income by selling and processing fruits. Ramon or Ocheche Tree(MiscanthusThrough knowledge-sharing activities with women producer groups in Guatemala and Honduras, the Mayangna women learned Ramon nut.
“We trained many people who didn’t understand Ramon nuts, “Before, people rarely ate nuts or breadfruit. But now they have the knowledge to not only eat them but also sell them, including on international markets,” said Benedicta Dionisio Ramirez of the Guatemalan Women Producers Group.
Working towards social empowerment
Strengthening women’s leadership and self-esteem has been an important part of the capacity development program. In 2015, the Forest and Farm Foundation worked with the Mayangna National Board and the Mayangna Women’s Organization to strengthen their participation in policy processes. Together, they explored issues such as food security, domestic violence, and improved production systems.
Meetings were also held in the Mayangna territories to discuss strategies for the advancement of women’s organizations, which prioritized strengthening internal solidarity and organization while emphasizing the need to increase the participation of these women in public institutions and decision-making.
The Mayangna National Women’s Network was established after 130 women from nine regions participated in the first Mayangna Women’s Forum of the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region with the support of the Forest and Farm Foundation to strengthen women’s organizations in the regions.
Forest and Farm Fund
FFF is a partnership launched in September 2012 by FAO, the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and AgriCord. The partnership is guided by a Steering Committee whose members are from forest producer, community forestry and indigenous peoples organizations, the international research community, business development service provider organizations, the private sector, governments and donors. Current donors include Finland, Germany, Sweden, the United States and AgriCord.
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