World Rural Women’s Day - 15 Oct

World Rural Women’s Day
15 October 2008

“Climate Change – Rural Women Are Part of the Solution”

World Rural Women’s Day is being held on 15 October, and Rural Women New Zealand members are gearing up to celebrate.

This internationally-recognised day honours the important contribution women make to rural life. The idea for a special day sprang from the UN Conference for Women in Beijing in September 1995 and is celebrated worldwide.

The theme of this year’s event is “Climate Change – Rural Women Are Part of the Solution”.

Sustainability and environmental awareness are not new concepts for Rural Women New Zealand, but this year’s World Rural Women’s Day theme is a chance to showcase some of the ways RWNZ members are addressing these issues.

• For 60 years our Southland branches have been involved in a sustainable forestry project at Castledowns near Dipton, which in the early days included the women growing the pinus radiata seedlings themselves. The proceeds from the rotational logging programme are used for significant charitable projects in the region.

• In recent years RWNZ branches have been involved in setting up recycling depots in rural areas, such as the one set up last year at Tarras, which is a joint project with the local school.

• Other groups have been involved in water quality monitoring projects, and we are represented on the board of the New Zealand Landcare Trust, a non-governmental organisation that facilitates sustainable land management and biodiversity initiatives with rural communities.

• Rangitikei Women in Farming group member, Diana Baird, and her husband Grant, were winners of the 2008 Ballance Nutrient Management Award. They were recognised for their decision to apply fertiliser only on faces (as opposed to ridges and gullies), which is then naturally transferred by animals to other areas. This technique saw a fifty percent reduction in fertiliser application for the same amount of total production, thus reducing nitrous oxide emissions.

To mark World Rural Women’s Day RWNZ members will be holding a number of events around the country. Some of these include:

10 October Nelson Provincial - Speaker on biodegradable cleaners. Holy Trinity Church Hall, Nelson 11.30 am. Contact Diane Higgins randdhiggins@ts.co.nz.
11 October Central region (Sanson) Lunch with guest speaker Prof Jacqueline Rowarth, foundation chair in Pastoral Agriculture at Massey, Trustee of Agmart, and appointee on the 7-member Fast Forward board. At the Manor Cafe, SH1, Sanson 11am. $25. Tel Wendy (04) 905 7569 or email wensim@paradise.net.nz.
15 October Mid-East Southland – Guest speaker Jo Morgan ‘world adventurer’, followed by fun-filled debate and second guest speaker Emily Kerse, fashion designer. Raffles, stalls etc. At Ascot Park Hotel, Invercargill. 9.15am. $25. Contact Ann Irving (03) 230 4430.
15 October West Otago - at Simpson Park, Lawrence. Gold theme. Speaker from Century Farms representing farms in NZ older than 100 years. Prof Richard Walters, archaeologist, on Chinese Settlement in Lawrence. NZ Gold Panning champion demonstrating gold panning. 'Sharal' singing old time favourites. Registration $20 includes morning tea and lunch. Registrations close 6 October. Email Margaret at bigseal@xtra.co.nz.
15 October Piako -Waikato East - Sue Lindsay celebrity speaker. Tatuanui Hall, (just outside Morrinsville). Winner of the 1998 World Young Business Achievers Award. Event sponsored by the BNZ. Contact Carolyn Freeman for more information. Ph (07) 824 6672 or email c.freeman@clear.net.nz.
15 October Tauranga - Guest speakers Stephanie Foster - rower, motivational speaker and Sue Furey, speaker from Tga Environment Centre. 'The Key Notes' entertainment. Exhibits, Crafts, Raffles, sales table, information and food from Kiribati. Venue: The Orchard Church, Te Puke, 9.30am to 3.30pm. Contact Mary McTavish. (07) 5432521 or email mcts@globe.net.nz.
15 October South Canterbury - Guest speaker Ruth Clarke on practical environmentally friendly changes we can make and Margaret Chapman (RWNZ national president) on highlights of the 2008 ACWW South Pacific Area Conference. 10.30am to 2pm at Grey Way Lounge, Pleasant Point Highway. $15 lunch. Contact Margaret (03) 689 5855 or email randmchapman@clear.net.nz.
17 October Taranaki - debate in the debating chamber of New Plymouth District Council "The Good Old Days – Or Were They?" Tickets $15. Tickets Faye Carver (06) 272 2816, Margaret Vickers (06) 762 8845 or Elma Honeyfield (06) 754 6530. Proceeds to Taranaki St Johns.

For more information on World Rural Women’s Day, go to the International Federation of Agricultural Producers’ website. www.ifap.org. In particular see:

Open letter from the IFAP Committee of Women Farmers:

http://www.ifap.org/en/issues/documents/WorldRuralWomensDay2008.pdf

Recommendations from IFAP:

http://www.ifap.org/en/issues/documents/RecommendationsfromRuralWomen.pdf

About Rural Women New Zealand:
Rural Women New Zealand serves women of all ages who share an interest in rural life.

We offer support and friendship for women with an interest in the land and rural issues.

Rural Women New Zealand is a leading voice for rural women and we make submissions on a wide range of topics affecting the rural sector.

To join Rural Women New Zealand – visit our website www.ruralwomen.org.nz,
or phone - 0800 2 JOIN RWNZ - 0800 256 467

ENDS

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