Increasing Productivity for and by Women Smallholder Farmers

Alice Irene Whittaker-Cumming and Veronica Kette of Mother Nature Partnership and the African Women Education and Development Forum in the U.S. will provide innovative reusable menstrual cups and related education to women smallholder farmers. Current cultural taboos inhibit women from farming while menstruating, substantially reducing productivity. Building on a successful pilot project, they will scale-up testing to 5,000 women smallholder farmers in rural Cameroon to evaluate the impact on productivity and behavior. Local health professionals will be recruited to support the project, and educational workshops will be hosted for participants. Radio will also be used to enhance awareness.