Strong women and strong nature in Papua go hand in hand
Despite living in regions abundant in natural resources, approximately a quarter of the people of Tanah Papua (more than 5.5 million) are officially classified as 'poor' according to government data. More and more children are experiencing growth delays because of malnutrition, and the living conditions are hard. These problems are rooted in the fact that land ownership and indigenous rights are not well-recognized by the government. The conditions are getting worse due to the climate crisis, with more extreme weather like floods impacting their livelihoods. On top of that, the natural resources they rely on are being taken away from them by people outside of the communities for business purposes, claiming it's for economic growth. But now women in 26 villages with a total population of almost 15,000 in Tanah Papua are joining forces, to better adapt to the harsh living conditions and to become more climate resilient. By learning from each other they gain new skills for production, income generation and protecting their nature. They are supported by local partners under the Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA) program.
The VCA program aims to amplify locally led climate solutions that benefit people and nature. WWF-NL is one of the partners of VCA. In the land of Papua, the program specifically focuses on indigenous women who live in close harmony with nature. It also makes them a vulnerable group for climate crisis impacts, as they heavily rely on natural resources.
Empowering women are crucial for amongst others improving health, education and livelihood. Empowerment often involves getting more sources of income. By engaging in various economic activities, such as sustainable agriculture, handicrafts, or small businesses, women become less reliant and therefore less vulnerable than depending on a single livelihood.
For example, residents in villages in the Asmat Regency (a district) in Tanah Papua have built their community by farming, gardening, and hunting in the forests. But flooding, salt intrusion, prolonged drought, among others, significantly impact their livelihoods and subsequently jeopardize the food security of the residents.
‘Due to the palm oil expansion and increased rainfall, we cannot rely on income from our lands. But now we learned to make ‘noken’-bags from elderly women from our and a neighboring village, so we rely less on agriculture, says Novilla Aru, head of the Sawesuma Indigenous Women's group Inger Wewal.
With the help of partner organization PIONER two women’s groups were formed in villages in Tanah Papua with a total of 22 women. These groups wanted to venture into banana and taro chips production. With support from the program, they kickstarted their business.
'We now grow bananas and taro (root vegetables) in the backyard and around the village to make sure we have enough raw materials for business development. We produce dozens of packs of chips monthly, gaining recognition with substantial monthly orders,’ says one of the women.
Their success not only boosts their economic well-being but also contributes to local food sustainability. This helps them have food during times when there are fewer natural resources available and ensures a good supply for business. Also, growing different bananas contributes to saving carbon in the forest. However, more research is needed to scientifically back this up.
In other villages, women groups taught each other to process myrmecodia, (a specific plant that mainly grows in mangrove forest in Southeast Asia), into herbal tea and enhance their skills in producing marketable salted fish. Both products are currently marketed. The VCA program, supported by partner organization Perdu, provided training sessions.
“Because we became aware of how the mymercodia business supports our local economy, we see the necessity of managing it wisely. We must make sure it does not run out quickly and damage the mangrove forests that protect us from the impacts of climate change,” says Fransina Pigo.
Women in other villages started their own enterprise which focuses on sago flour production to make sago biscuits. Sago is a starchy substance extracted from the center of certain types of palm trees for consumption.
They manage the sago trees wisely, for example using traditional tools like axes instead of chainsaws to avoid disturbing wildlife. They also cultivate sago for future use, employing simple methods like using sago fronds, wood, and cloth for processing. The success story continued. Also, in other villages around Tanah Papua, especially in Sawesuma Village, Jayapura province, women groups are now making sago crackers.
‘It is key to listen to the voices of women and support them by ensuring that they are heard in decision-making processes that concern their forests, waters, and lands. Now, more than 500 women in Tanah Papua are part of women's groups and directly and indirectly supporting approximately 4,900 people with their practices. Our expectations are that our partners and governments are to replicate the model of locally shaped climate solutions for other places, especially for the local food system. And we want to stimulate woman leadership in Tanah Papua and connect more women groups for collective actions. Together it is possible!’ Wika Avelino Rumbiak – Head of Forest and Wildlife Program-Papua WWF-Indonesia.
The Climate Crisis that we are facing has no frontiers. We believe it is only possible to foster a just transition to low-carbon and climate-resilient futures with a new level of civil society leadership. This is what Voices for Just Climate Action stand for.
