Breaking down gender obstacles to food security in the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and India
Deutsche Bank, with its Corporate Responsibility initiative in Asia, is assisting women from local communities and social entrepreneurs to overcome bias, access opportunities, and make an impact in their fields.
Closing the gender gap in farming
Farming in Asia is mainly dominated by men. Women account for 43% of the global agricultural labor force. However, they encounter significant gender barriers such as inadequate access to funds, agricultural training, and the latest technology.
Due to climate change impacting food production in the region, it’s now more crucial than ever to provide women farmers with the resources to help them feed the world.
This is how Deutsche Bank is promoting inclusion in the farming sector in Asia and assisting women in enhancing their livelihoods:
Philippines: Supporting careers in food production
In the Philippines, Deutsche Bank collaborates with Gawad Kalinga to offer scholarships to young people to prepare them for a future in farming and food production. Mary Kris L. Alinsub, a 25-year-old scholar, is one of these beneficiaries. The scholarship provided her with education in the School for Experiential and Entrepreneurial Development (SEED Philippines), the pioneering nationwide agri-education school system for the rural poor.
Coming from a farming family, the scholarship has opened up new opportunities in her career. She has acquired the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) National Certificate on Organic Agricultural Production. Her next objective is to find stable employment to support her entire family and contribute to her community in a meaningful way.
India: Enabling transformation of organic waste to increase farming yield
In India, the bank provides funding for women farmers like Barfi Devi to access new farming equipment such as a bio-digester, which converts organic waste into biofertilizer and biogas. This reduces substantial costs for Barfi while also having a positive environmental impact.
In collaboration with the Centre for Microfinance, Deutsche Bank financed the installation of a bio-digester on her farm. This is an environmentally sustainable system that transforms natural waste, such as cow dung, into biofertilizer and biogas. The high-quality organic biofertilizer can then be used in fields, increasing productivity and yield. Another by-product of the process, biogas, is a renewable energy source that can be used for cooking. As energy costs increase, the cost savings here are significant. This further enables Barfi to invest in expanding her agricultural portfolio and building a brighter future for her family.
Related Article: Goldman Sachs and IFC Enhance Support for Women Entrepreneurs with New Initiative in Emerging Markets
Sri Lanka: Supporting sustainable honey production
Deutsche Bank collaborates with NGO Ruk Rakaganno to assist women like Sumanawathie in rural communities in Sri Lanka to establish sustainable bee honey production. This serves as an additional source of income amidst the rising cost of living.
Honey is a valuable product in Sri Lankan homes, used for making things sweet and in traditional medicine. It is usually collected through a method called “honey hunting”, which causes harm to bee hives and has a big impact on the environment. Ruk Rakaganno is offering a sustainable option by giving women the tools and training to raise their own bee colonies. Sumanawathie believes this effort can also teach kids about the importance of taking care of the environment and bring the community together by raising awareness about the process.
