EMPOWERMENT STRATEGY FOR FEMALE FARM WORKERS THROUGH SOCIAL AND CULTURAL STRENGTHENING IN COT MONRAYA VILLAGE, ACEH BESAR

Abstract

This study aims to explore strategies for empowering female farmworkers through social and cultural empowerment. Female farmworkers play a crucial role in the agricultural sector, but their contributions are often marginalized due to limited access to resources, low skills, and strong cultural norms that limit their mobility. This study employed a qualitative approach with descriptive methods. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation, then analyzed using the Miles & Huberman interactive analysis model. The results indicate that social empowerment strategies are implemented through the formation of women's farmer groups, strengthening community-based solidarity, and increasing participation in village forums. Meanwhile, cultural empowerment strategies are realized through the revitalization of local wisdom values, gender equality education, and recognition of women's contributions to agriculture. Both strategies have been proven to increase self-confidence, expand access to participation, build economic independence, and encourage a more inclusive cultural transformation. In conclusion, empowering female farmworkers through a social and cultural approach not only strengthens individual capacity but also transforms social structures to be more just and gender-equal. This study recommends the importance of implementing holistic, sustainable, and locally context-based empowerment strategies.