A warm and enthusiastic atmosphere filled the room as inspiring women farmers from Kampung Prafi Mulya, Manokwari gathered for a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) organized through the Enhancing Smallholder Farmers’ Income and Livelihoods in Papua program supported by Stichting De Eik and East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer. The meeting was not merely a discussion, but a shared learning space where participants exchanged experiences and explored solutions to the challenges they face in marketing their agricultural produce.

During the discussion session, the women enthusiastically shared the obstacles they encounter, ranging from limited access to buyers and lack of market information to difficulties reaching wider markets. From these simple stories, they realized that many of the challenges are actually shared by others in their community.

Through this knowledge transfer process, the YBTS team, consisting of the Market Access & Linkage Officer and the Technical Field Officer (TFO), shared practical insights on how farmers can expand their market access, build networks with potential buyers, and recognize the potential of their harvests as products with higher market value.

To make the discussion more dynamic, the participants were divided into three smaller groups. This was where ideas began to emerge. Together, they identified the most common challenges they face and formulated practical solutions that could be implemented at the group level.

From this simple discussion space, a renewed spirit emerged. The women of Prafi Mulya returned home not only with new knowledge, but also with stronger confidence to market their harvests. This small step from a collective discussion is expected to open wider market opportunities and bring new hope for improving the welfare of their families and communities.