Syngenta Indonesia Launches PUTRI Petani MAJU to Support Women Farmers Empowerment

JAKARTA Syngenta Indonesia launched PUTRI (Perempuan Tani Syngenta Raih Impian/Syngenta Women Farmers Achieving Dreams) Petani MAJU community on February 10, 2026, in Batang Regency, Central Java. The launch event was attended by 450 women farmers, local government officials, Syngenta Indonesia management team, along with Steve Hawkins, President of Syngenta Crop Protection, and Syngenta Regional leaders.

The community launch was marked by a declaration reading by three women farmer representatives and a traditional 'gejog lesung' ceremony, symbolizing mutual cooperation, togetherness, hard work, patience, and hope for sustainable living - values that form the foundation of PUTRI Petani MAJU. This community will serve as an umbrella for all matters related to women heroes dedicated to agriculture and bringing the vision of Petani MAJU to life.

"PUTRI Petani MAJU serves as an empowerment platform that will catalyze the transformation of Indonesia's agricultural sector. This community emphasizes the strategic role of resilient, consistent, and impactful women in agriculture. When we train one woman, we empower one family. When we empower #PUTRIPETANIMAJU, we empower the entire Indonesian nation," stated Eryanto, President Director of Syngenta Indonesia.

The launch momentum coincides with FAO's designation of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF), affirming global recognition of women's vital role in agriculture, food security, and nutrition.

The PUTRI Petani MAJU Community received warm welcome from women farmers. "We appreciate Syngenta's efforts in empowering women farmers. We should not feel inferior because we are special and extraordinary. Women farmers are not just pillars of food security for families but also for the nation," expressed Annisa, a women farmer representative present at the PUTRI Petani MAJU launch event.

The Urgency of Women Farmers Empowerment

Data from 2025 records 4.2 million women farmers in Indonesia. They play crucial roles in the agricultural sector and in supporting national food security. These women farmers are actively involved from upstream to downstream, from seed selection to cultivation, harvesting, and post-harvest processing.

However, only 10-20% have access to agricultural inputs, technology, finance, knowledge, and markets. This impacts productivity levels. FAO estimates that crop yields could increase by up to 30% if women farmers had equal access to technology and resources - a significant figure in supporting government food security programs.

Furthermore, wage appreciation for women farmers remains a challenge. In several regions, wage gaps persist between male and female farmers. Female farm workers tend to receive lower wages than their male counterparts for the same type of work and working hours. This disparity affects women farmers' welfare levels.

Sustainable collective efforts and multi-stakeholder collaboration between government, private sector, and communities are necessary to empower women farmers. Syngenta, as a global leader in agricultural innovation, strives to improve smallholder farmers' welfare and lead the way toward inclusive agriculture. Through PUTRI Petani MAJU, Syngenta commits to supporting women farmers' empowerment to enhance productivity and sustainability of Indonesia's agricultural systems, which will bring significant changes in self-sufficiency and national food security. (*)