Gender and Practice (original) (raw)
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2017
The study was undertaken in Uganda and Rwanda focused on two national research organisations-National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) and Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) respectively. A mixed method approach was used in which both quantitative and qualitative data was collected over a period of three months (June-August, 2016). A self-administered survey tool was administered to researchers and managers while key informant interviews, case studies and document review provided the qualitative data. A total of 218 responded to the survey in Uganda while 37 responded in Rwanda. A total of 29 interviews were conducted: top and middle managers (15 for Uganda and 1 for Rwanda); Gender Focal Persons (7 for Uganda and 2 for Rwanda); Case studies with researchers that were either applying or not applying gender skills (3 for Uganda and 1 for Rwanda), and 17 Principal Investigators of research projects (10 for Uganda and 7 for Rwanda). The study was guided by the following questions: • What are the policy and practice drivers/motivators and barriers/inhibitors for gender responsive research? • What is the level of access to gender training by agricultural researchers? • What is the level of application of gender to biophysical and socioeconomic agricultural research? Key findings Gender capacity and application Vision: A market responsive, client oriented and demand driven national agricultural research system. Mission: To generate and disseminate appropriate, safe and cost effective technologies. Goal: To enhance the contribution of agricultural research to sustainable agricultural productivity, sustained competitiveness, economic growth, food security and poverty eradication.
The project ‘Building Capacity in Gender Analysis and Gender Mainstreaming in the NARS of ASARECA’ emerged in response to the general urgency for agricultural research and development systems in Sub-Saharan African region to more effectively address the needs of those constituency groups, particularly poor women small-holders, who are vulnerable to the effects of poverty, land degradation and climate change. More specifically, the project emerged in response to the need for agricultural research and development systems to adopt ‘demand- driven’ agendas of innovation, and integrate gender-sensitive participatory approaches into the structures and cultures of their organizational practice to more effectively respond to the complex social and environmental realities of vulnerable groups. The project’s agenda was to influence the policies of agricultural research and development systems, while improving implementation and delivery of services directly benefitting vulnerable groups, such...
Journal of Gender, Agriculture and Food Security, 2021
Despite the recent proliferation of gender training courses in agriculture, it is still not clear what competencies trainers require in order to successfully deliver interdisciplinary applied gender-responsive agricultural research training. This paper presents a competency framework for trainers developed and tested over five years (2016-2021) in the context of the Gender-responsive Researchers Equipped for Agricultural Transformation (GREAT) project. This framework includes competency domains and assessment tools that can guide recruitment, performance assessment, and identification of competency gaps for the capacity development of trainers. Literatures on social research methods, feminist pedagogy, adult learning, competency-based training approaches, coupled with expert consultation, inform this framework. This framework is a novel tool that can be adapted to similar training programs and contribute to the development of gender training as a professional field of practice.
1970
In a small Australian city, two researchers were talking together about research approaches in their shared field of passion-gender-focused agricultural research for development. They dreamt that one day they would see an international conference that brought together the many innovators and scholars in this important field. Two years later this dream was realised at the 'Seeds of change: Gender equality through agricultural research for development' conference held at the University of Canberra, April 2-5, 2019. 1 The conference achieved many things, not the least of which was to provide an interactive and intellectually stimulating environment for the 280 participants from 45 countries. Although gender equality and gender equity are now 'mainstreamed', in reality many gender-focused researchers in agriculture are relatively isolated and have few opportunities to challenge and extend their thinking and practice. The conference sought to address this issue and to provide fruitful ground and opportunities for cross-fertilisation. The conference highlighted ways of successfully integrating gender into project design and implementation. It focused on effective ways to catalyse social and behavioural change for both agricultural and social outcomes; gendersensitive evaluation and impact assessment systems for continuous program
Doing research and 'doing gender' in Ethiopia's agricultural research system
Gender, Technology and Development , 2019
This article presents data from an experimental gender audit that was completed of the national agricultural research system in Ethiopia. The results show how agriculture researchers understand and practice gender in Ethiopia and what the research outputs say about Ethiopian Institute of Agriculture Research (EIAR)'s ability to incorporate gender across the research process. The article applies gender mainstreaming theory and feminist research methods and methodologies to frame the analysis. This body of scholarship highlights crucial questions that go beyond the counting of male and female participants in research surveys and the recruitment of female informants, a problem at EIAR. The article argues that focusing on gender mainstreaming ignores the power relations that currently maintain the status quo and prevent a substantial approach to ‘doing gender’ from evolving. In order to improve gender equality in Ethiopia’s agriculture sector, EIAR needs to expand the methodologies currently used and include and raise awareness for feminist methods. This study adds to the emerging literature on Ethiopian women studies, gender mainstreaming, institutional reform, and gender research methods.
International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 2017
Agricultural development efforts that do not address persistent gender gaps miss opportunities for greater impact. This synthesis reflects on key findings from integrated quantitative and qualitative analyses at the nexus of gender, agricultural development, and climate change. Linked farm household-, intrahousehold-, community-, and institutional-level data highlight significant and nuanced gender differences in adaptive capacity of individuals and communities to respond to climate change. The gender gap is also substantial in exposure to climate change and its impacts, and uptake of new practices that lower vulnerability. Women in agriculture will remain largely neglected by information and service providers unless their differing needs, access to, and control over resources are considered at policy and project design stage. Yet clear guidelines for addressing the needs of both men and women in different environments and agricultural systems are still lacking. Participatory 'action research' approaches with a focus on co-learning, and using innovative cell phone or social media-based approaches offer exciting new opportunities. Agricultural development decision-makers and project designers need to 'design with gender in mind'. Equipping them with tools and knowledge of innovative gender-transformative practices and intervention options and creating accountability for serving women and men will be key.
GREAT Expectations: building a model for applied gender training for crop improvement
Journal of Gender, Agriculture and Food Security, 2021
Capacity development is a critical entry point for integration of gender responsiveness in agricultural development, yet there is little reflection on who should be trained, on what, and how. As an opening paper to this special issue, we ask: What are key aspects of a gender training program that seed attitudinal shifts and practice change in agricultural research teams? To answer this question, we explore how the Gender-responsive Researchers Equipped for Agricultural Transformation (GREAT) project has pioneered a training model that seeks to challenge the status quo of crop improvement research, questioning norms and focusing on attitudinal shifts and practice change. We examine the project design, execution and iteration, practical constraints, and impacts on participants. We conclude that GREAT demonstrates the importance of a feminist gender training program for effective social change, with future work needed to deepen exposure to feminist theories and testing models of pairing learning with collaborative research engagements.