Developing rural women's skills in agriculture, livestock development and domestic food production as an extra source of income and to enable them to play an effective role in realizing food security and independence.
The Bureau of Women and Young Workers in the Philippines provides a skills training programme on small-scale business entrepreneurship for young rural women. This complements the activities of the female youth organization called the Future Agricultural Homemakers of the Philippines (FAHP). FAHP aims at a balance in four areas of concern: education, community service, socialization/recreation and income-generating activities. Through the different chapter members in 12 regions, the organization registers financial projects which help support and sustain the activities of the members. Catering services, meal management, food production and processing as well as handicrafts have enabled the chapter organizations to acquire need equipment and facilities for their projects. From the initial 81 chapters in 1969 with a membership of just under 11,300, the number of affiliated chapters in 1988 had risen to 293 with a membership of more than 80,000.
Specific organization and training in economic activities can enable women to generate additional income. The Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) is an autonomous trade union begun in 1972 in Ahmedabad, India, inspired by Gandhian and feminist philosophy. SEWA enabled women of small farming and landless families to receive training in agriculture and dairy techniques. They describe their experience like this: 'Although women traditionally care for cattle, most have been exploited for years by private dairy interests. Low caste and harijan women have rarely had access to milk cattle because of the investment involved. SEWA arranged five-day training courses, for about 500 women, in veterinary care, cattle-breeding and methods of producing high quality milk. At first resistance was encountered to such training to illiterate women but the training proved to be successful. After an uphill battle against certain vested interests the first women's co-operative was registered in 1980. There are now numerous such co-operatives. Women have been trained to measure the fat content and keep records. The milk is marketed through the National Dairy Development Board and the Sardar Dairy. SEWA has similarly promoted income generation through spinning, weaving and pottery.