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How have you been championing the lives of women farmers and their communities?

“We educate women in farming communities on breastfeeding as it’s an important aspect of family health and nutrition. Our support for women and nutrition is also reflected in our workplaces, through the Workforce Nutrition programme which promotes practices and policies that support our female colleagues who are breastfeeding. Women are key members of our workforce, and they are essential in our outreach to women farmers. These workplace modifications further ensure that they have equal opportunities to thrive”.

“We can only see sustainable transformation when we create enabling environments in which women can thrive.”

How does your professional goals contribute to better livelihoods for women farmers?

“I have always wanted to do what is right by science, and anchored in empathy, in order to contribute to a brighter future for the planet and communities. The sustainable rice programme gave me an opportunity to support more than 1,200 farmers, 900 of whom were women, to learn critical skills to practise climate-smart farming, and improve their livelihoods through finance and nutrition education”.  

“Every day that I have worked on sustainability at Olam Agri is an accomplishment to me, because whether indirectly or directly, I know I have made a difference to improving the lives of India’s smallholder farmers”.

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What drives you to improve equity for women farmers?

“I want to make the world a better place by serving the rural communities around me. Guided by my values and ethics, I have created a culture of trust with my colleagues, and it is an environment conducive for creativity, efficiency, innovation, ambition, and commitment”.

“I believe that diversity and inclusion are key in the effectiveness and longevity of any initiative, as we all have different skills and experiences that are required to make a positive impact on society”.

What is the motivation behind the work that you do?

“I was born in a palm oil estate, and I spent my childhood in the plantation because my parents spent their entire careers in the palm oil sector. I saw firsthand how difficult life was and how much resources and support they lacked, and I wanted to step up and make a difference in the industry.”

“At Olam Agri, I interact with people of various backgrounds and global experiences, and I’m constantly motivated by their support for all the work that I do to ensure that our sustainability commitments are implemented across the supply chains.”

How are you contributing to a more equitable future for the communities around you?

“I am very proud of our accomplishments in improving the living conditions of local communities. We have raised awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention and increased access to HIV screening for nearly 3,000 people. Where previously many families would travel long distances searching for water, we have built wells in villages for easier access to safe, drinking water. Through education and outreach, we have also fostered healthier eating habits amongst communities, and improved the personal health and welfare of women and young girls.

“I create equity by empowering other women to succeed. I do so by raising awareness about women’s rights, sexual harassment and discrimination. Additionally, I champion the role of employees in creating a healthy work environment that provides opportunities for all to succeed.”

What is the ultimate goal you have in mind for women in farming and their communities?

“What excites me about my work is designing initiatives, seeing them materialise and positively impact our partners and the communities which we work with. While there are still unmet needs to fulfil, I draw my energy from every little smile we bring, seeing our partners becoming more and more successful over the years, and communities flourishing.”

“In the future, I hope to set up a model village – a sustainable community that is able to generate and maintain their own resources to improve their well-being while showcasing Olam Agri’s values of sustainability – which can be replicated for other villages as well.”

What motivates you to create equity-based change for women farmers?

“As an analyst, I am excited to translate the results of our sustainability initiatives into measurable outcomes that improves the lives of farmers. I have witnessed these results in our sustainable rice project in Thailand – where we trained more than 12,000 women farmers on sustainable farming practices. Not only have their productivity and incomes risen, but they have also reduced carbon emissions and water usage on their farms.”

“When we upskill farmers and position them to train and transfer knowledge to their peers, we are creating a sustainable rice production ecosystem that is able to thrive long-term and benefit the environment and the livelihoods that depend on it.”