1. Home
2. Conferences
3. 2013 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference

Empowerment through Annie’s Project

Lynn Little

Summary

Annie’s project is a national program designed to empower farmwomen to manage information systems used in critical decision making processes and to build local networks throughout the state. The target audience is farmwomen with a passion for business and involvement in the farm operation.

Since 2008 Annie’s Project has expanded and reached 13 sites in Maryland and Delaware educating 357 farm women. Participants report gaining answers to questions, resource materials, ideas to try and people to contact. An evaluation plan has been created which includes a pre-class survey, end of class evaluation and eighteen month follow up. Outcome based data is collected in which participants report what they plan to do following the program, what they have implemented since the program and any financial gain. While many measurement tools are in place an immeasurable factor is the empowerment that participants feel from being part of the class, gaining knowledge and learning skills for their business.

Quotes from end of class evaluations include:
“Overall I learned so much - I feel empowered to run a farm business”
“Meeting other farm women and learning together from Annie’s Project, but most of all realizing that we were privileged to be part of the concept that finally farm women have been empowered.”

Details

---