According to the annual work plans of China-Canada Sustainable Agriculture Development Project and Small Farmers Adapting to Global Markets Project, we successfully held a training on leadership of women in charge of agricultural work at Yudai Mountain Villa, Dujiangyan, Chengdu, Sichuan Province from July 31 to August 3, 2007. Attending this training were 24 women leaders from five project counties (Zizhong, Hongyuan, Santai, Mianzhu and Pengzhou) in Sichuan. Also, we invited a woman participant from Xinjiang.

The participants in this training were mainly women leaders and potential women leaders in the government administrative departments at the township (town) and village levels in charge of agriculture. To be specific, they came from Zizhong County Bureau of Animal Husbandry & Foodstuffs and Sankuaishi Pig Farming Co-operative of Zizhong; Trade Union of Hongyuan County, Jiangrong Township People’s Government of Hongyuan, Qiongxi Town People’s Government of Hongyuan, Tsarma Township People’s Government of Hongyuan, Anqu Township People’s Government of Hongyuan and Longri Township People’s Government of Hongyuan; Woyun Village of Guangji Town, Mianzhu City, Agriculture Information Station of Mianzhu City, Agriculture Service Center of Guangji Town, Mianzhu City, Jinlan Village of Xinshi Town, Mianzhu City and Sichuan Mianzhu Agriculture Technology Promotion Center; Pengzhou City Bureau of Rural Development and Gaolin Village of Jiuchi Town, Pengzhou; Liuying Town Government of Santai County, and Agricultural Economy Station and Plant Conservation Station of Santai County Bureau of Agriculture.

Zhao Jie and Wen Yiqun, both from Women Development Research Center of Yunnan Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, were invited as the lecturers at this training. Using the participatory method, they designed the following training contents:
    1.  Gender awareness
    2.  Improvement of leadership
    3.  Leading rural women
    4.  Leading and managing rural development and group discussion

Through this training, these women participants have gained a full knowledge of leadership, and they express their willingness to apply the theoretical knowledge they have learned in this training into their practical jobs, seeking benefits for their own township, town or village.