In Mali, agricultural activities are divided along gender lines. For example, in the areas where we are piloting myAgro, men plant cotton and cereals (millet, sorghum and maize) and women plant rice, legumes and vegetables (peanuts, onions, potatoes, peppers). We’re designing a peanut package that women can use to increase their peanut harvests and their incomes.
To support women and motivate them to participate in myAgro’s advance payment system to buy the peanut package, we’re designing a completely different line of marketing than the men’s co-operatives, complete with symbols that women can proudly claim as their own.
Only 53% of Mali’s population is literate and the percentage for women, who are the first to leave school when hardships (or marriage!) arise, is even lower. Symbols and pictures are incredibly important in conveying our message to farmers, and to women in particular.
A symbol we’re developing for the women’s agricultural packages, is the baobab. A baobab is an African tree that has a thick trunk and gourd-like fruit with an edible pulp called monkey bread.
The baobab is the symbol of endurance, conservation, creativity, ingenuity and dialogue. We think this aptly represents Malian women and the hard work they put into their fields and homes every day! By combining the myAgro logo with the baobab above, our goal is to convey that with the women’s strengths
and our planting packages, they can create wealth for their families as well.
ps. Thanks Nidhi Chanani for the logo!
