Agroforestry systems are helping women in Indonesia revive natural dye-making traditions and increase their incomes.

An article on the blog of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) explains how hand-woven and dyed textiles play an important role in the spiritual, social and economic aspects of life. Made by women, these textiles are worn in ceremonies, traded, bartered and given as wedding gifts. Increasingly though, the textiles are being produced using synthetic dyes.

With funding from ACIAR, the World Agroforestry Centre is implementing a project in the village of Bosen, East Nusa Tenggara to encourage the growing of plants such Indigofera in village gardens. The leaves of this nitrogen-fixing plant are used to make an indigo dye.

The women of Bosen are receiving up to four times as much for their traditionally-dyed textiles as they did when they used synthetic dyes. Through support from the Bali-based fair trade organization, Threads of Life, the women are being helped to establish cooperatives, manage their resources sustainably, train younger generations and keep their traditions alive while alleviating poverty.

Read the full story: Helping women revive natural dye-making traditions

See more information on Indigofera arrecta on the Agroforestree database