We’re excited to share the stories of some amazing feminist organisations that are making a real difference in the fight for climate justice. Over the next months, we’ll be posting blogs about our grantee-partners that attended the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference. These stories prove that climate solutions are coming from the communities that feel the impact of climate change the most. First up: Indonesia’s women’s organisation SERUNI.
We all want clean air and water, and a safe place to call home. But in the heart of Indonesia, in the vast palm oil plantations of Jambi province, rural women see their land change before their eyes. Palm oil plantations have wreaked havoc on the environment, draining rivers, drying out peatlands, and contributing to massive deforestation. These destructive practices don’t just impact Indonesia; they also lead to haze disasters that pollute the air in neighbouring countries and devastate local ecosystems.
Indonesia is made up of over 17,500 islands and is home to 275 million people, with 70% living in rural areas and depending on agriculture to survive. Yet plantations and mining companies control nearly half of the country’s land. For women in Jambi, this crisis is deeply personal. Industrial agriculture and gold mining have stripped away their livelihoods, threatened their food security, and severed their connection to the land. The once-fertile soil is now barren and the rivers lifeless. On top of that, patriarchal and religious norms often exclude rural women from participating in decisions that directly shape their futures.
Reclaiming livelihoods
In times of crisis, it’s our shared belief in justice and resilience that carries us forward. In the face of destruction, women are leading the way toward providing a safer, healthier and more just world for us all. Mama Cash grantee-partner SERUNI (a national women’s organisation based in Indonesia) proves that communities don’t have to accept environmental destruction and social inequities. Instead, they are restoring the land and reclaiming their livelihoods.
SERUNI’s response to these challenges is rooted in agroecology – a holistic approach that combines organic farming with ecological restoration and community support. Since moving their national secretariat to the countryside in 2020, they have transformed six hectares of degraded land into a thriving model of sustainability. Their work includes:
- Reviving native ecosystems: By cutting down palm oil trees and planting Indigenous fruit trees like duku, durian, avocado, and matoa, SERUNI is restoring biodiversity while creating a steady source of income for the community.
- Restoring rivers and soil: Former traditional gold mining sites have been rehabilitated into fertile fishponds and organic vegetable farms, providing food security and reviving the local environment.
- Building with nature: Using bamboo and rubber wood for construction, SERUNI avoids industrial materials, reinforcing the importance of sustainable practices in every aspect of their work.
But their efforts go far beyond agriculture. Over the past five years, SERUNI have shown that agroecology is not only a set of farming practices, but a radical, transformative approach rooted in their struggle for food sovereignty, land reform, and the recognition of women’s and peasants’ rights. For SERUNI, agroecology is a form of collective action and political education; rural women organising into associations and cooperatives to restore degraded land, rely less on chemical fertilisers, and promote biodiversity. This way, the group is tackling the root causes of climate change while supporting rural women in taking control of their futures.
Agroecology as a viable climate solution
And Mama Cash is proud to support them along the way. With our flexible funding, SERUNI could set their own priorities. They chose to expand their agroecology practices and establish chapters in 17 provinces across Indonesia. Since 2017, they’ve grown from 6 provinces to 17: strengthening their feminist initiatives, building a national movement, and sharing their knowledge and resources with other rural women. With this growth they could increase their impact and push more effectively for systemic change.
In 2024, SERUNI took the stage at the UN Climate Change Conference to call for global recognition of agroecology as a real climate solution. Representing rural women, peasants, and Indigenous communities who are too often excluded from climate conversations, their agroecology practices prove that sustainable livelihoods are possible without harming the environment. They shared their success story with policymakers and activists from around the world, showing that the answers to the climate crisis already exist in community-driven practices.
Supported by Mama Cash, SERUNI’s participation at the conference highlighted how grassroots, community-led solutions can change not only the land but also the lives of those who depend on it. Looking ahead, the group plans to expand their agroecology model to more regions and work with local governments to replicate their practices.
Centre those most affected
How can we make sure that sustainable agroecology practices are recognised and funded as a viable climate solution? Feminist organisations like SERUNI need sustained support to make their vision a reality. Yet rural women, who are at the forefront of both climate challenges and solutions, still face significant barriers to accessing climate finance. Climate change overly affects those with the least resources, yet feminist groups offer some of the most effective solutions. ‘Our agroecology practices prove you can live without destroying the environment,’ Triana, secretary general of SERUNI said.
True climate justice means centring those who are most affected. SERUNI’s agroecology practices are a powerful example – one that champions people, the planet, and sustainable livelihoods. As leaders around the world continue to deliberate on collective action to address the climate crisis, we need to amplify the voices of women’s organisations like SERUNI and fund their solutions.
Your donation can help rural women take control of their futures. Help us support the women of SERUNI and donate today.
