Young farmers in Maetha want to balance work and life and develop hard and soft skills. They value inner strength, happiness, and relationships as much as technical competencies. To help them achieve this, they have identified key guidelines.

Short-term Support (2023):

Establishing Common Goals and Shared Vision for “Maetha Organic” Development:

• Collaboratively crafting an overarching vision and delineating individual roles within the group.
• Cultivating participation and mutual understanding among group members to foster a cohesive and aligned approach.

Next Steps:

• Providing counseling sessions to facilitate individual and group development planning, focusing on team-building strategies.
• Coordinating efforts to access relevant information and resources conducive to individual and collective growth.

By prioritizing personal and professional development in tandem, the young farmers in the Maetha community aim to nurture a supportive and empowered environment that enables them to thrive both personally and agriculturally.

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Providing personal development for Maetha Organic Group

5-7 July 2023

Based on the previous plan, the TOA team and partners embarked on a supportive journey to aid young farmers in the Maetha community from March to December 2023. The initiatives included:

Yoga for Body and Mind:

Recognizing the physically demanding nature of agricultural work, which often leads to stiffness, pain, and long-term health issues among farmers, the community identified the need for holistic wellness practices. Yoga was introduced to address both physical and mental well-being. Farmers could alleviate physical discomfort and manage stress by incorporating yoga into their routine, ultimately fostering improved overall health.

Counseling Support:

In response to the heightened stress and strain experienced by individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, counseling sessions were offered to provide emotional support and guidance. These sessions addressed various challenges, including work-related stress, familial responsibilities, self-care neglect, and communication barriers within the community. The counseling sessions sought to cultivate trust, strengthen relationships, and promote a supportive environment within the group and organization by fostering open dialogue and active listening.

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Supporting Maetha Organic Group on local menus and packaging

17-18 October 2023

From August 17th to 18th, 2023, a small workshop was held at the Living and Learning Center for Sustainability. During the workshop, young farmers from the Maetha community gathered to share their common goals and vision for Maetha Organic. They also collaborated to develop seasonal food menus catering to the Maetha community’s needs. The workshop provided several key lessons that were learned.

• Effective Communication: Members of Maetha Organic must actively develop and maintain communication channels to foster a shared sense of purpose and direction within the group.
• Environmental Preservation: Emphasizing the importance of working towards food security while simultaneously preserving environmental resources and ecosystems.
• Support for Small-scale Farmers: Advocating for promoting and sustaining small-scale farmers and community-based sustainability practices.
• Strengthening Local Economies: Recognizing the vital role of community and local economies in fostering resilience and self-sufficiency.
• Seasonal Menu Development: Creating seasonal menus tailored to the Maetha community’s preferences and nutritional needs.

Next Step: The group plans to establish “Pat Academy” and “Maetha Model” initiatives to transform the Maetha community into a learning hub for sustainability and well-being. Drawing on Maetha Organic’s experiences and insights, these initiatives aim to inspire positive change at both individual and societal levels.

Through these interventions, the TOA team and partners endeavored to empower young farmers in the Maetha community to prioritize their physical and mental well-being, thereby enhancing their resilience and overall quality of life amidst the rigors of agricultural work and external stressors.