By: Cristina Eghenter

Women play an important role in traditional and small-scale farming systems, which are still the most common agricultural model in the world. However, it is often the case that women are rarely involved by policy makers to discuss agriculture, and sometimes not even recognized as productive farmers.

This is the message of the book, "Women, Food and Biodiversity. Stories from Kalimantan", wants to convey on October 16, the anniversary of World Food Day.

Efforts to ensure food security are often focused on increasing production, while there are things beyond production that are equally important, where the role of women is crucial, such as: education, health, quality assurance of good nutrition, market value, etc., which must be supported by things such as traditional wisdom schools and women's schools, markets for women and local food, nutrition improvement programs in schools with local vegetables and fruits cultivated in the village, etc.

This booklet was written together with several women farmers and local food conservationists in Kalimantan. Through their daily stories, traditional practices, wisdom, as well as new creations and entrepreneurship by women, they prove the important role played by women in the food production chain and maintaining the diversity of food crop varieties.

Strong links with nature and the surrounding environment are what support and help sustain sustainable agricultural systems and healthy and equitable food systems. Women have a major role to play in this.