Women and rural livelihood training: a case study from Papua New Guinea

Abstract

The Integrated Agriculture Training Program (IATP) in Papua New Guinea (PNG) aimed to improve the livelihoods of rural communities in the East New Britain Province, by providing targeted training and information services to both men and women. While this AusAID-funded project is now complete, the programme has continued on a self-funding basis. This article describes how the IATP attempted to ensure the integration of rural women's interests, and respond to their needs in a country where gender inequality prevails, and where rural extension programmes have traditionally focused on men. The article argues that despite the programme having considerable success in implementing appropriate training for women, meeting the needs of rural women, and making positive impacts on women's livelihoods, its success in responding to gender concerns has been limited by constraints which are themselves due to gender inequality. These constraints are: lower-than-anticipated participation of women in the courses, the lower educational level of women, and difficulties women have in implementing changes to their livelihoods after training.