Gender and Development

	Table of Contents
p. 26 of 33 BACK | NEXT Bangladesh Cambodia India Indonesia Kyrgyz Republic Nepal Pakistan ASR/Institute of Women’s Studies Lahore HAWWA Associates Khwendo Kor Shirkat Gah Watan Welfare Society Tajikistan Uzbekistan

Pakistan

Plant Nursery Project in Maliwal Village — Shirkat Gah

"When I first started working in the nursery, my in-laws were very upset and thought I was going out for no reason. On coming home, they would often scold me saying, 'Madam has come back after roaming about here and there.' Now that I am able to financially contribute to the family, their attitude has changed completely and now they admire my work." (working committee member)

"In the beginning we knew nothing about raising plants in polythene bags, shifting, or grafting and did not even know the names of these ornamental plants. But now we have learnt everything and people are surprised that we now know the English names of plants." (working committee members)

"In the past my husband used to beat me. I didn't say anything because he was the one providing for the family. After my involvement with Swani Sanjh and earning money from the nursery, I have realized that he is not justified in beating me." (working committee member)

"I used to be very shy. I was so shy that I couldn't go out of the house in new clothes. Now I go out confidently and can even bargain with shopkeepers." (working committee member)

"We know a time will come when no further financial support will be available for the plant nursery, but we are determined to make it take off, and we will work harder and continue our efforts for marketing our plants." (management committee member)

Background of the project

In Pakistan, women's important economic contributions are often unacknowledged and hidden within their household work. Social and cultural norms such as the institution of purdah reinforce the view that a woman's legitimate place is in the home firmly under the control of her husband or family. Such norms underplay women's roles as important farm and household producers and constrain their capacities to act as independent economic producers.

Poor farming households in Pakistan have limited access to agricultural extension services, credit facilities, new plant varieties, and equipment. Women from such households are further marginalized typically having no access to credit and agricultural services in their own rights. Gender disparities in literacy rates, education, and economic resources conspire with sociocultural practices such as female segregation and restricted mobility to deprive poor women of access to such services.

Nonetheless, women's socioeconomic development in Pakistan is ultimately dependent on their ability to pursue economic opportunities that not only contribute to the economic wellbeing of their families but also-and importantly - give women greater control over their own lives. One women's nongovernment organization (NGO) that has been working in this area is Shirkat Gah. This NGO is committed to assisting poor women develop sustainable livelihoods through the development of innovative agricultural products. In working towards this goal, Shirkat Gah recognizes the need to provide a supportive framework in which women can gain self-reliance and self-confidence as well as learn new technical skills.

With funding from the Asian Development Bank, Shirkat Gah has been able to continue the development of its plant nursery project in the small Punjabi village of Maliwal. Shirkat Gah is collaborating with the community-based women's group Swani Sanjh to establish an ornamental plant commercial nursery as an income generating project for village women.

Project Objectives and Scope

The objective of the project was to establish an economically viable and operational commercial nursery to:

• enhance the income level of local women
• facilitate local women to develop and strengthen market links
• establish the plant nursery as a self-sustaining income generating activity

The project compromised the following activities:

• purchase of nursery plants, seedlings, and other stock
• construction of bamboo sheds, hand trolleys, iron gates, and other infrastructure
• establishment and capacity building of a committee responsible for managing the nursery on a day-to-day basis including the marketing of plants and record keeping
• establishment and training of a working committee responsible for running and maintaining the nursery, including preparing the plants, potting, weeding, pruning, and watering
• recruitment of a marketing consultant to assist in the selection of high-value plants and to provide advice on market links

Technical Skills and Capacity Building

The management and working committees were given a range of training and capacity-building exercises.

• Members of the management committee were given training in record keeping and bookkeeping at Shirkat Gah
• Members of the working committee were given training in the care and maintenance of plants such as potting, grafting, watering, pruning, and so on
• All members benefited from the knowledge they learned from the gardener/marketing consultant recruited during the project. He identified plants of high sale value and established market links for the sale and purchase of plants. He also trained the working committee in the stages at which different plants and seedlings need to be purchased for the nursery
• Several visits by the management and working committees were made to Pattoki and other nearby towns to develop market links. Shirkat Gah also sponsored a trip to Lahore for the women to visit a number of plant nurseries
• Members of the management committee made several exposure visits in order to develop their understanding of market-related agricultural activities and to interact with members of similar village-based enterprises. On one exposure visit, the management committee made a formal presentation to over 500 participants, comprising male and female small farmers as well as representatives of local community-based organizations, NGOs, and government departments

Outcomes of the Project

As a result of the project, an area of 1250 square feet was laid out into a plant nursery complete with green sheds, beds for growing plants, and water channels. The nursery has a capacity for growing more than 10,000 plants and saplings. The income from the nursery has been steady. Although small in volume, to the women involved in the nursery, this income has made a significant difference to their households and to their status as economic contributors.

Women's Empowerment

Women not only developed an income generating activity through their involvement in the plant nursery, they also acquired new technical and business skills and gained confidence and greater control over their lives. The comments above reveal the extent to which these positive outcomes developed over the project. Other outcomes include the following.

• The women members of Swani Sanjh now operate, manage, and conduct market-related activities entirely on their own
• Women of the working committee make decisions related to sales, purchasing, price negotiations, and promotional activities independently
• This success has attracted other women to join Swani Sanjh resulting in 36 new members over the project period

As a consequence, men and women of the community now see women's potential to manage and operate a nursery.

• The male gardeners who initially gave training to the women were of the opinion that women would not be able to run a nursery. Their attitude was discouraging to say the least. Very quickly they realized that women have the ability to learn new skills and the capacity to run this type of business
• Landowners of nearby villages have invited the working committee to hold orientation sessions for women in their villages about setting up plant nurseries
• Local residents now buy plants from the local nursery and the general interest in ornamental plants has increased
• One member of Swani Sanjh has decided to lease one or two canal of land on her own in order to grow roses for ubtan (a beauty paste)
• Another villager has requested the working committee to train his son in gardening. Some families have been motivated to explore other market opportunities such producing and marketing vegetables

Back Khwendo Kor	Next Watan Welfare Society