Gender integration in agricultural innovation systems research,CGIAR experiences by Silvia Sarapura-Escobar

Gender integration in agricultural

innovation systems research, CGIAR experiences

Silvia Sarapura-Escobar, AAS, WorldFish

Conference on Integrated Systems Research for Sustainable

Intensification in Smallholder Agriculture

March 4, 2015 Ibadan, Nigeria

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Core question: Does GAD inform innovations systems in agriculture?

3. Case studies: • AAS Research in Development Approach, WorldFish

• Papa Andina Initiative, International Potato Center

4. Challenges to integrate gender in agricultural innovation systems

5. Towards improved policy and practices

Introduction

• Agricultural systems and relations complex (Ekboir et al 2009).

• New patterns are needed for interaction between scientists and expanding range of actors, markets and policies in which social and economic processes are embedded (Hall 2008).

• Knowledge to generate innovations (Asenso-Okyere et al 2008)is needed and operationalized in stakeholders’ own contexts in ways that are suited to own goals (Hall A 2007) and needs.

• Gender relations and roles across scales play crucial role in the success of efforts to harmonize agricultural innovation and foster social equity of all actors involved in agriculture (Sarapura 2009).

• Addressing gender in agricultural innovation is dealing with unequal power relations and embedded roles often legitimized by strong socio-cultural traditions, beliefs (Lewis 2004) and norms.

• Ignoring these aspects results in incomplete and or biased research are produced, which leads to formulation of incomplete policies (Feldman 1995).

Continuum of Gender and Systems R4D in Agriculture

ToT

Early Farming Systems Research

Agricultural knowledge and information systems

Agricultural Innovation Systems

Women in development

Women and Developmen

t

Gender and Developmen

t

GAD -> Social and [Gender]

Transformative Change????

Core Question: Does GAD inform innovations systems in agriculture?

The Root of the Problem: Unsolved issues in gender influence unequal access and control of resources.

• Gender Relations • Gender Roles and

Responsibilities • Knowledge Base

• Participation in decision-

making processes • Gender differences in

power and knowledge=

• Capacity development and learning

• Governance - Informal and formal organizations

• Monitoring and evaluation progress

• Information and communication technologies

• Social processes intersected with other differentiators ( culture, religion, race, ethnicity, age, etc).

• Inclusive and representative policies

GAPs

PAPA ANDINA

INITIATIVE

Approaches to innovation processes

Participatory Market Chain Approach

Multi -stakeholders Platforms

InHorizontal evaluations

What has changed?

Innovation in various forms •Innovation capacity •Learning capacity •Social innovation

Institutional Changes •Chef-peasant alliance •Mistura – Agri-food Fair

Strengthened •Collective action •Knowledge sharing •New forms of learning

Papa Andina Initiative

Phases of the

Participatory research,

Gender Assessment and

Related Activities in

Each Phase

Overall Activity

Gender - related Assessment and Activity

Stakeholder Identified

Phase I:

2-4 Months

Get to know the market chain actors and

other stakeholders - their activities, interests,

ideas and problems and so forth.

Step 1: Conduct a 3- to 6-week rapid

assessment of the market chain and identify

key stakeholders.

Step 2: Hold a one-day workshop to define

impact groups using the impact filter.

Step 3: Hold a final event for phase 1 to share

information and secure stakeholders’

continued involvement.

Includes gender sensitivity training as stakeholder

identification activities begin.

Includes women farmers as stakeholders in the rapid

assessment of the market chain. R&D partners, including

investors, reinforce the need to address women’s specific

needs in PMCA.

Initiates family and community competitions for

innovation and recognizes women’s contribution to the

value chain

Identifies male and female leaders who support gender

equity and empowerment; encourages them to highlight

or discuss issues and benefits for women farmers in

workshop events.

Stakeholder platforms

engaged

Phase 2:

3–5 months

In a participatory manner, analyze potential

business opportunities; work in thematic

groups of 10–20 persons; establish new

stakeholder platforms or strengthen existing

stakeholder platforms; R&D organization

involved provides facilitator to assist groups.

Using the following tools, each thematic

group analyzes potential business

opportunities: rapid market appraisal;

quantitative market survey; focus groups.

Platforms bring together female and male small-scale

farmers from different communities in the region, market

agents, and agricultural service providers to share

findings and customs, with support from R&D

institutions. Many of these stakeholders will be

unfamiliar to each other.

Identifies and involves KEY Partners familiar in related

gender analysis and women’s empowerment.

Involvement key to the success of platforms.

Gender equity (participation of women representing

different ages, classes, and ethnic groups) is included in

the platforms and in the selection criteria for thematic

groups.

Phases of the

Participatory research,

Gender Assessment and

Related Activities in

Each Phase

Overall Activity

Gender - related Assessment and Activity

Implementation of joint

market innovations

Phase 3:

4–6 months

Implement joint market innovations: work in

thematic groups of 10–20 persons; R&D

organization involved provides facilitator to

assist groups.

Each thematic group uses marketing concept

development and business plan to test or

implement, monitor, and evaluate their

innovations. If necessary, phase 2 activities

can be revised (for instance, by adding focus

groups to clarify consumer preferences).

Iterative processes to analyze knowledge sharing and

gender roles and relations within the stakeholder

platforms for further technical and institutional innovation

at the national regional and chain levels.

Women and men continue to participate share knowledge

and stimulate participation in stakeholder platforms.

R&D partners monitor/evaluate gender related advances

in new and extended networks.

R&D partners monitor/evaluate how male and female

farmers have gained individual and collective capacities

and skills for communication, negotiation, facilitation, and

teamwork.

Encourages discussions within the project on how market

chains empower disadvantaged farmers who otherwise

have little opportunity to participate and make decisions in

own communities.

– Encourages ongoing discussion within the project on

how women have the chance to interact with other market

chain actors and professionals from R&D organizations,

thereby increasing their access to knowledge, innovation,

contacts, and self- development.

CGIAR RESEARCH PROGRAM ON AQUATIC AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS

Mechanism for Innovation Processes: RinD Approach

What has been done so far

Three Scaling Pathways • Scaling out and up (SP1) •Socio‐ ecological transformation in hubs (SP2) •Changing the RD paradigm (SP3)

Theories of Change •Outcome evidencing

Social and gender integral part to other themes deserving explicit analytical attention.

Gender and social aspects identified in nested theory of change per initiatives

(IDOs, HDCs)

Pathway 3 National , regional and global scaling Pathway 2 Focus on hubs: transforming enabling conditions Pathway 1 Focus on hubs: direct engagement with communities and partners

Gender Transformative Research in Development

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Framework, Indicators and Tools

Development Embed into overall M&E framework for the hub (incl outcome evidencing) Research Design

Benchmarking Study

GTRinD Toolkits Development

Develop Suite of Transformative Change Interventions

•Household Approaches

•Behavior Change Communications (Drama/Radio etc)

Gender integrated in RinD Initiatives in the Hub

•Participatory Action Research (PAR)

•Value chains •Natural resource management

Gender Capacity Development

Outcomes and Knowledge & Learning

Captured

Gender Coalitions

Hub and National Levels

Knowledge, learning and experience sharing

Scaling up/out

To inform

Gender Capacity Development

Science and Communication

Outputs

•Gender integrated •Strategic gender

To in

form

Challenges to Gender Integration in AIS

– Time; medium and long term processes

– Responding to donors expectations

– Context specific factors (culture, religion, race)

–Capacity, knowledge, skills, behaviors and practices

Towards improved policy and practices

• Research and engagement suggest gender transformative policy.

• Advocate for policy and legislative change that supports equitable social systems.

• Engage in critical awareness of gender roles and norms in the hubs..

• Address the system and structural levels, not solely the individual or organization.

• Work with men to improve gender equity, leading to better outcomes

• for both women and men and disadvantaged groups.

• · Consider how women and men adjust to and use redefined GTAs through monitoring and evaluation processes.

Thank you