Amidst the challenges of rural life in Pakistan, three remarkable women have defied the odds, emerging as beacons of hope and catalysts for change. Their stories perfectly encapsulate the theme of the 2024 International Women's Day: "Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress," showcasing the profound impact of empowering rural women

“Thanks to support from FAO, we are able to sell our dates in major markets at a time when our livelihoods have been severely disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are able to reach buyers by phone and have signed new contracts even during this difficult time. This new way of doing business will help us to increase date production and processing and to expand our businesses even further,” said Mohammad Ismail.

 

“My experience of tunnel farming has been extremely rewarding. FAO provided me the tunnel structures and hybrid seeds of Sahil variety (tomato) for sowing. I had never seen tunnel cultivation before. A walk-in tunnel can accommodate up to 500 tomato plants. With good crop care, each tomato plant can produce up to 10 kilogram of tomatoes, giving me a total produce of 5 000 kilograms of tomatoes in my walk-in tunnel,” says Rehman Gul.

 

“Now that we are feeding the goats animal compound feed they are much healthier and produce more milk. Our lives have taken a turn for the better. Shukria! (Thankyou!),” says Wasu.

“Within a few months I have gone from only being able to cook vegetables twice every month to now having enough vegetables in my kitchen garden to cook fresh meals for my children each day. My children are much healthier now. Even our medical expenses have gone down,” says Sodhi. “I am proud to say that I am helping my family become financially stronger and also contributing to my children’s well-being. I could not have asked for more.” 

 

“I am now able to add eggs and meat to our food plates. With adequate protein intake, the health of my grandchildren will improve. Our household income has also risen significantly – we are able to repay our debts. I feel more empowered and have a bigger say in household decisions now that I also contribute to the household income,” says fifty-year-old Habiba Bibi.

“During the lockdown period when my husband was out of work and we were struggling to make ends meet the canola harvest brought a welcome relief for our family. The profit we made from selling the canola will help us get by during these difficult times when we have no other source of income. We will extract edible oil from the remaining 10kg of canola,” said Mansab Mai.

 

"It was a dream come true! Now that we were collectively bargaining, we were able to set a higher price for our flowers. The transportation costs also reduced significantly as we could transport our flowers together,” said Muhammad Farooq. 

“I was very excited when I was first selected as a farmer field school participant. Not only did I learn how to grow seasonal vegetables at home, but I was also able to interact with other women farmers from my village to gain knowledge on the best practices for farming – this has helped me improve the quality of our produce,” said Amlan Bibi.

 

"I don’t have to go to the market every day to purchase vegetables. Now I am proud to say that I am growing my own produce and hope to be able to save money,” said Gul Bano.

Gul Bano is leading the way for women in Sindh, Pakistan, promoting new skills and livelihoods

 

“I believe that there is no substitute to working hard. Our area holds vast potential for agriculture which we need to take advantage of. Fulfilling the needs of my family, sending my children to school and having a good-quality life have always been a priority for me,” says 26-year-old Umer from South Waziristan.

 

“The women farmer field school sessions have helped me gain confidence. I have my own kitchen garden where I try out new varieties of seeds – we sometimes get very interesting results from planting these vegetables. I can happily say now that I also contribute to my family’s income,” says Ruqaiya.

“People in our region consume meat in most of their meals, but we were taught by the field facilitators the importance of vegetables in our diet. Growing vegetables in our kitchen gardens gives us easy access and has led to a noticeable shift in cooking habits in my neighborhood. Now women cook vegetables for their families almost on a daily basis,” states Arfa.

‘’The training was very easy and accessible since I did not have to leave my village to learn these useful skills. My identity is no longer limited to being a mother of nine; I am proud to be known as a carpet-maker and designer now’’, says forty-year-old Hajra.

 

“Finally, the day is here! I’m harvesting my wheat crop! Every farmer waits for this day to collect the golden wheat from their fields. We are anxious throughout the cultivation period, at times for water and at other times praying that it does not rain at the time of harvest. We are worried that [the rain] may damage our crop,” says Yar Muhammad cheerfully.

 

"We realized the importance of providing fresh and nutritious meals. I was able to cook fresh meals for my children everyday at practically no cost," says Roopan. "I am now also planting the Kharif seasonal crop which should be ready for harvest anytime now."

 

"For many years, it was only my brother who brought back enough income to support the family. Today, I'm proud to say that I am also contributing financially to support my family. Our way of living has improved drastically. My elder brother's children are now going to school," says Abdul Khaliq. "I want to provide a better future to my family and want them to succeed in life.