CONNECTING DIVERSE WOMEN FARMERS ACROSS THE RURAL-URBAN DIVIDE

The long-term goal of the proposed project "Connecting Diverse Women Farmers Across the Rural-Urban Divide" is to improve communication, build mutual support and enhance overall sustainability of new and beginning women farmers' agricultural enterprises inrural and urban areas. Through the development of enduring educational networks and grower collaborations, the project will build an information-sharing community between urban and rural farmers via on-farm events, webinars, an annual networking symposiumand electronic communication networks. We target women farmers because they are a diverse yet often overlooked and underserved component of farmers, and comprise a significant proportion of new and beginning farmers and especially urban growers. Newand beginning women farmers in both urban and rural settings are challenged with similar difficulties such as: lack of access to land and capital; lack of a farm background; minimal knowledge of technical and business skills; limited communication and collaboration withmore established farmers; and family responsibilities. For women of racial and ethnic minorities, these challenges are often amplified and compounded by socio-economic and cultural barriers. We will expand our networking to cross urban and rural boundaries bystrengthening current and building new partnerships with farmers, non-governmental, governmental and community-based organizations. These cross-boundary alliances are transformational because they enhance the capacity of our partners to provide targetedand innovative educational programs for diverse audiences including women and socially disadvantaged farmers. These alliances will support the diversification of agriculture by facilitating the ability of targeted audiences to succeed in achieving financial sustainability.