NFU commemorates International Women’s Day
Saskatchewan women celebrate knowledge of and leadership in the food arena
Saskatoon, SK – Saskatchewan women will join thousands of women around the world to celebrate International Women’s Day on and around March 8. One of the activities in Saskatchewan will be a series of interactive workshops, Mentoring Women in their Food Story: Planting the Seeds of Leadership Together, organized by the NFU Women’s Advisory with funding from Saskatchewan Status of Women.
Marcella Pedersen, NFU Women’s Advisory in Saskatchewan, is convinced that women play critical, but often unrecognized leadership roles in their communities and on their farms. “Women have an incredible body of knowledge and expertise in producing food that is too often taken for granted or ignored,” she says. “We need to come together and claim that wisdom – to talk about what we know and to learn from and encourage one another.”
Pedersen sees producing one’s own food as a radical act and a baby step toward food sovereignty. “The food we grow for ourselves reconnects us to the heart of at least a small part of the food system,” she says. “The long-term goal is for a food system and food policies that puts the needs and interests of producers, distributers and consumers at its very heart. With these workshops, we truly are beginning with tiny steps.”
“The bottom line,” Pedersen says, “is that we want to bring together people with common interests in food for mutual support and encouragement. Such a gathering lets us step back from the daily rush of life, and give food, food production and food producers all the attention they deserve.”
All people, regardless of cooking or gardening experience, are welcome to attend the workshops, for which there is no charge. The process encourages people to identify and claim their skills and knowledge as valued and valuable.
1) Saskatoon – March 9 at 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. at E.D. Feehan School cafeteria – 411 Avenue M North, RVSP: Marcella at gilmar@sasktel.net
2) Cut Knife – March 13 from 10 – 4 p.m. at Little Pine Band Hall – Bag lunch with Little Pine Women’s Group in care of Valerie Tootoosis Bull, 306-398-4015
3) Regina – March 23 at the United Way Bldg from 10 – 4 p.m. RVSP: gilmar@sasktel.net WIN-S (Women’s Information Network of Saskatchewan) c/o Joanne Havelock, 306-535-9570
4) Yorkton– March 24: at 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at SIGN on Broadway; RVSP: Marcella at gilmar@sasktel.net
For more information about any of the workshops, please contact the individual listed.
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For more information, contact:
Marcella Pedersen, NFU Women’s Advisory (Saskatchewan): 306-398-2795 or gilmar@sasktel.net .
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