CGIAR GENDER Platform evidence module outputs

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/114342

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A handbook on heat stress adaptation for women farmers
(Manual, 2024) Awaas Sewa Private Limited
Farmers—especially women—bear the brunt of the challenges mentioned due to limited access to knowledge, resources, and support systems. Women’s social positioning, combined with the gendered division of labor, further exacerbates their vulnerability to climate change. In addition to farming responsibilities, women are often burdened with unpaid care work, increasing their workload and exposure to heat stress. This dual burden leaves them susceptible to the impacts of climate change, requiring targeted interventions that address both agricultural and social vulnerabilities. This handbook is designed to help women farmers comprehend how heat stress affects crop productivity, quality, and their overall wellbeing, while also offering actionable solutions to minimize its effects.
Exploring the landscape of gendered geospatial methods in agri-food systems: A scoping review
(Report, 2025-01-30) Rosenthal, E.; Legros, S.; Leong, S.V.; Zannier, A.; Sole, M.
Women play pivotal roles in agri-food systems and understanding the complex and multifaceted nature of gender inequalities within agri-food systems is critical to continue empowering women in the agricultural sector. However, while women’s unequal access to opportunities and resources in agri-food systems is well known, little is known about the spatial distribution of the challenges they face. In this context, Geographic Information System (GIS) can help in revealing gender dynamics in agri-food systems and generating actionable insights that could make policies and interventions gender-responsive and/or gender-transformative. However, the application of GIS and other geospatial techniques is an underexplored area within the women, rural and agri-food nexus. To fill this gap, the CGIAR-GENDER Impact platform commissioned this scoping review to map and analyze the current landscape of how geospatial approaches and analyses are applied to gender and social research within rural development and agri-food systems and to identify opportunities for future research and development (R&D). This review applies a critical feminist lens to investigate what is missing in recent efforts to use GIS to study intersecting gender inequalities within agri-food systems, and how GIS technologies could be better employed to foster gender inclusion while enhancing women’s empowerment.
Learning in Tandem (LiT): Women's Collectives from MENA & South Asia
(Report, 2024-11-25) Krishna, Vijesh V.; Al-Zubi, Maha; Ait El Mekki, Abdelkader; Khed, Vijayalaxmi; Geetha, Rosalin; Arayullakandi, V.; Arshakh, T.V.; Bharati, Preeti; Sathyan, A.R.; Venugopal, N.; Jaz, H.; Brouziyne, Youssef; Lahiri-Dutt, Kuntala
Gender-responsive climate information services in agrifood systems
(Report, 2024-11-20) CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform
Climate variability and extreme weather events pose significant threats to agrifood systems worldwide. Thus, reliable and timely climate information services (CIS) are critical for farmers to make informed decisions, mitigate risks and adapt to climate change. Effective CIS can enhance resilience, support climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts and improve livelihoods. While women are known to be disproportionately vulnerable to climate change, they are often excluded or lack access to these essential services due to persistent structural inequalities and social barriers. The CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform is just completing a mapping of CIS provision in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and a scoping review to investigate gendered access to and usability of climate information in agrifood systems. The review reveals significant gaps in CIS provision, highlighting the need for gender-responsive approaches. The emerging findings highlight the importance of addressing the unique needs and challeng
Making Agricultural Extension Services Gender Sensitive
(Blog Post, 2024-11) Chander, Mahesh
Gender disparities in the downstream nodes of the rice value chain in Eastern Uganda: Roles, labour, time allocation, and empowerment
(Thesis, 2024-09-30) Oloo, Augustine
Developing country governments and development organizations have labored to integrate both men and women in post-production value chains as a strategy for poverty alleviation, economic growth, employment generation, gender equality, and improved well-being. Despite the rapid mainstreaming of inclusiveness in policy discourse, remarkably little literature sheds light on the changes over time in post-production agricultural value chains. This study addresses this gap. Using data collected from 515 downstream rice value chain actors in Eastern Uganda, the study analyzes the distribution of roles, allocation of time, and empowerment among women and men. It also assesses the determinants of their time allocation to the downstream nodes of the rice value chain using linear regression. To account for endogeneity, the study used the two-step control function approach in the treatment-effects model to determine the effect of engagement in downstream nodes of the rice value chain on the empowerment of men and women. Results showed that the downstream nodes of the rice value chain and most of the activities are dominated by men. Women on the other hand dominated activities that were less renumerated such as sorting and cleaning rice and preparing food for workers. Findings on time allocation showed that men and women spend 5-8 hours per day in the downstream nodes of the rice value chain with men spending significantly more time than women. Time allocation to the downstream nodes of the rice value chain depends on the sex of the actor, association membership, engagement in non-agricultural activities, engagement in rice production, and marital status. The Individual Empowerment Index showed that the mean individual empowerment score for men is significantly higher than for women. Men are also more empowered than women in the income, leadership, and time allocation domains. Women on the other hand are more empowered than men in the household livelihood domain. Engagement in milled rice trading was found to significantly lower the empowerment scores of women. The study recommends efforts to increase women’s visibility in post-production nodes of agricultural value chains. The study recommends strategies such as improvement in infrastructure that reduces household labor, such as reliable water and electricity supply to reduce the domestic work burden for women, enabling them to invest more time in productive. The study also recommends the creation of gender awareness through education especially in the early years to eliminate stereotypes.
Are we missing the mark? Gender and Intersectional Data Gaps in Climate Smart Agriculture
(Blog Post, 2024-11-13) CARE International
In today’s world, food is a scarce resource for millions of people. Despite numerous efforts by individuals, organizations, governments and institutions to enhance food security, the World Health Organization (WHO) conservatively estimates that between 2030 and 2050 climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 deaths per year resulting from malnutrition, diarrhea and heat stress (WHO 2021). Women and girls often face the most severe impacts of food insecurity caused by climate change, often eating last and least. CARE’s analysis has estimated that 150 million more women were hungry than men in 2021 (CARE 2022). To address global food insecurity, Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) has emerged as a paradigm aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity, resilience and sustainability. Over time, CSA has been adopted by development partners and governments across the globe. But does it really deliver its promises to the most vulnerable? The CSA framework, as initially defined, includes three main objectives: (i) to sustainably enhance agricultural productivity and improve food security, (ii) to strengthen farmers’ resilience and their capacities to adapt to climate change, and (iii) to minimize or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions whenever feasible (FAO 2013; FAO and CARE 2019). Gender equality was not a primary focus during the development of CSA strategies, which may account for the limited investment in gender-equality initiatives within CSA programming. As a result, international agricultural research and development organizations have faced challenges in effectively incorporating gender-equality considerations into agricultural program processes and outcomes.
Gender responsive agricultural extension services
(Infographic, 2024-11) Sinha, I.
Infographic prepared for a workshop on gender-responsive agricultural extension: transforming practice, policy and institutions, held in Hydrabad, India.
Digital Innovations Supporting Women Agri-entrepreneurs in India: Mapping Good Practices
(Working Paper, 2024-06-30) Dominic, D.M.; Bhuvana, N.; Mittal, N.; Sulaiman, R.V.; Puskur, Ranjitha
Agribusiness startups are currently redefining the Indian agricultural sector, encouraging a more entrepreneurial mindset among the various stakeholders. This surge of interest coupled with advancements in the digital sector has led to a rapid expansion in the technology and digital solutions ecosystem within the sector. The process of creating a new enterprise is being greatly aided by technologies such as big data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and various digital platforms. These technologies are currently helping them with everything from conceptualization of ideas to recognition of opportunities for production, marketing, and distribution. The proliferation of digital technologies is offering unprecedented opportunities for women to participate in, and lead, agricultural enterprises in India by helping them overcome the many longstanding barriers they once faced, including limited access to information, resources, and markets. However, despite these positive developments, challe
Women at the Helm: Navigating the Digital Landscape of Agriculture
(Report, 2024-06-30) Dominic, D.M.; Bhuvana, N.; Mittal, N.; Sulaiman, R.V.; Puskur, Ranjitha
Agribusiness startups are reshaping India’s agricultural sector, fostering a strong entrepreneurial mindset. This growing interest, alongside advancements in digital technology, has spurred rapid expansion in the sector’s technology and digital solutions ecosystem. Technologies like big data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and various digital platforms play a crucial role, aiding aspiring entrepreneurs from idea conceptualization to identifying opportunities in production, marketing, and distribution. The proliferation of digital technologies presents unprecedented opportunities for women to engage and lead agricultural enterprises in India, overcoming longstanding barriers such as limited access to information, resources, and markets. Despite these advancements, challenges persist, and adoption of digital technologies varies widely among enterprises. In the Indian context, research on the use of digital solutions by women agripreneurs remains limited. In 2023, the Centre for Research on Innovation and Science Policy (CRISP) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) conducted a study, as part of the Evidence Module of the CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform, interviewing 16 selected women agripreneurs in India. The study aimed to understand their utilization of digital tools, exploring the types of tools used, developed digital solutions, and how these facilitate enterprise-building processes. Each entrepreneur shared insights on their use of digital tools, highlighting benefits in networking, self-learning, upskilling, education, e-commerce, sales, and enterprise management. While digital technologies have opened avenues for career advancement, women agripreneurs acknowledge gaps in fully harnessing these potentials. The study identified two types of enterprises led by women in the digital ecosystem: digitech enterprises, often founded by women with a background in technology, and digitally enabled enterprises, leveraging various digital technologies to promote their businesses. The majority of women entrepreneurs operate digitally enabled enterprises, reflecting the tech-driven nature of modern agribusiness. This compilation of interviews illustrates how digital innovations support women agripreneurs in India, showcasing their entrepreneurial journeys, aspirations, challenges, and strategies to overcome these challenges through digital interventions and other forms of support. It is intended to benefit those supporting women agripreneurs, particularly within India’s agribusiness incubation centres, offering valuable insights and lessons for leveraging digital innovations to enhance enterprise performance. We sincerely believe that each of these life stories will also inspire several budding women agripreneurs and help them assess their digital capacity gaps and take steps to address these.
Realizing Women’s Potential in Agri-Food Systems
(Conference Proceedings, 2024) Vemireddy, Vidya; Puskur, Ranjitha
A stakeholder dialogue on “Realizing Women’s Potential in Agri-Food Systems’ was organized by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) in collaboration with CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform and International Rice Research Institute on September 19, 2024. Experts across academia, civil society and international organizations working at the intersection of agri-food systems and gender were invited to participate in the discussions, which were helmed by Dr Vidya Vemireddy, Assistant Professor at IIMA and Dr Ranjitha Puskur, Lead, Evidence Module, CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform. The dialogue was conceptualized to: ● Identify the key sticky challenges and policy barriers that women in agri-food systems face and remain unaddressed despite years of R&D efforts. ● Map the data and evidence we have at present and identify the black boxes. ● Build a problem prioritization matrix to identify challenges that require immediate attention. ● Explore solutions, strategies, and good practices to address structural barriers faced by women. ● Chart a collaborative pathway forward and work towards building a coalition of actors in the ecosystem of women in agri-food systems. The discussions revealed rich insights and enabled sharing of ideas, with consensus on several challenges to women realizing their potential in agri-food systems, beyond the often-discussed narrative on lack of access to resources. These included access to extension services, inability to articulate and document their concerns and solutions, gender and socio-cultural norms, policy gaps such as a lack of a co-designed approach to design as well as institutional bottlenecks. However, there was an acknowledgement that access to financial institutions, collectivization, grassroot level organizational interventions, political participation, skill mapping and the creation of a multistakeholder stakeholder platform were effective short and medium-term solutions to mitigate barriers faced by women in agri-food systems with high feasibility of implementation. Finally, the stakeholders deliberated on the idea of creating a coalition/group to integrate evidence and data across academia, civil society and the private sector and generate research and policy traction to realize women’s potential in agri-food systems in a systematic manner. Following this dialogue, the suggested three-point action plan includes; ● Mapping the contributions and recognition of women’s vital roles in the agricultural value chain, from production to marketing. ● Defining the institutional contours of a coalition/group for women in agri-food systems including objectives, core members, membership tenets, etc. ● Creation of a portal to compile good practices, evidence, and learnings from what has worked and what has not to facilitate development of strategies for scaling across contexts.
Gender dimensions of postharvest food losses
(Infographic, 2024-11) Chavarro, Monica Juliana; Moreno, Manuel
The impact of agricultural extension programs on women’s empowerment in agriculture and food systems in the global south: A systematic review
(Thesis, 2024) Acosta, S.L.
This systematic review examines the best agricultural extension methods in the context of women’s empowerment, centering improvements in agency, achievements, and resources. Agricultural extension programs use projects and trainings to improve a community’s agriculture system by disseminating information through individual or group trainings, focus groups, on-farm demonstrations, or through the transfer of technologies. Many extension programs work in rural, impoverished communities. Unfortunately, extension practitioners often overlook women’s roles, failing to consider how the program may affect them, despite women being the primary farm laborers [2]. In this thesis research, I analyzed studies published since 2000 with the coding assistance of other students and my advisor. The studies included in this systematic review include at least one dimension of women’s empowerment (or disempowerment). In this review, I investigated the extension practices with highest retention rates, adaptability, and consideration for cultural and social realities to understand how agricultural extension empowers women. Most studies in this review involved communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia and provided training on the several different types of agriculture topics: irrigation, climate change resilience, inputs and fertilizer, plant breeding, and more. Using online databases like SCOPUS and Agricola, I gathered 62,517 papers and narrowed them down to the 90 final papers analyzed in this systematic review, through an extensive series of reviewing and coding. Using Naila Kabeer’s multidimensional empowerment research [7] as a theoretical framework, I found that most studies that measured women’s empowerment had indicated some level of empowerment while some did have unintended consequences provoking disempowerment while others showed empowerment in unintended areas. In this systematic review, I offer insight to understand women’s roles in agricultural communities and the significant socio-economic implications that may occur as a result from empowerment agendas in extension.
National Interethnic Women’s Network for Environmental Defense. Territorial network mapping: A methodological guide
(Manual, 2024-10-15) Gonzalez, Carlos Eduardo; Salas Betancourt, Daniela; Urbano Castano, Angelica; Howland, Fanny
This methodological guide is a participatory tool that allows those who use it to map their territorial network related to one or several themes. This guide is intended for men or women producers and/or territorial leaders.
Red nacional de mujeres interétnicas para la defensa del medio ambiente. Guía metodológica para mapear la red territorial.
(Manual, 2024-09-03) Gonzalez, Carlos Eduardo; Salas Betancourt, Daniela; Urbano Castano, Angelica; Howland, Fanny Cecile
Esta guía metodologica constituye una herramienta participativa que permite a quien la usa de mapear su red territorial relacionada a una o varias tematicas. Esta guía está destinada a hombres o mujeres productores y/o a lideres territoriales. This methodological guide is a participatory tool that allows those who use it to map their territorial network related to one or more themes. This guide is intended for men or women producers and/or territorial leaders.
Value chain interventions for improving women's economic empowerment: A mixed‐methods systematic review and meta‐analysis: A systematic review
(Journal Article, 2024-08-12) Malhotra, Suchi Kapoor; Mantri, Swati; Gupta, Neha; Bhandari, Ratika; Armah, Ralph Nii; Alhassan, Hamdiyah; Young, Sarah; White, Howard; Puskur, Ranjitha; Waddington, Hugh Sharma; Masset, Edoardo
Background Value chain interventions have become widespread throughout the international development sector over the last 20 years, and there is a need to evaluate their effectiveness in improving women's welfare across multiple dimensions. Agricultural value chains are influenced by socio-cultural norms and gender dynamics that have an impact on the distribution of resources, benefits, and access to opportunities. While women play a critical role in agriculture, they are generally confined to the least-valued parts of the value chain with the lowest economic returns, depending on the local, social and institutional contexts. Objectives The review assesses the effectiveness of approaches, strategies and interventions focused on women's engagement in agricultural value chains that lead to women's economic empowerment in low- and middle-income countries. It explores the contextual barriers and facilitators that determine women's participation in value chains and ultimately impact their effectiveness. Search Methods We searched completed and on-going studies from Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection (Social Sciences Citation Index [SSCI], Science Citation Index Expanded [SCI-EXPANDED], Conference Proceedings Citation Index – Science [CPCI-S], Conference Proceedings Citation Index – Social Science & Humanities [CPCI-SSH], and Emerging Sources Citation Index [ESCI]), International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, EconLit, Business Source Premier, APA PsycInfo, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane, Database of Systematic Reviews, CAB Abstracts and Sociological Abstracts. We also searched relevant websites such as Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR); the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); AgriProFocus; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF); Donor Committee for Enterprise Development; the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO); the International Labour Organisation (ILO); the Netherlands Development Organisation; USAID; the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation; the International Food Policy Research Institute; World Agroforestry; the International Livestock Research Institute; the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; the British Library for Development Studies (BLDS); AGRIS; the IMMANA grant database; the 3ie impact evaluation database; Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA); The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL); the World Bank IEG evaluations; the USAID Development Data Library; Experience Clearinghouse; the proceedings of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Health Academy conference; the proceedings of the Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE) Conference; the proceedings of the North East Universities Development Consortium (NEUDC) Conference; and the World Bank Economic Review. The database search was conducted in March 2022, and the website search was completed in August 2022. Selection Criteria The review includes value chain interventions evaluating the economic empowerment outcomes. The review includes effectiveness studies (experimental and non-experimental studies with a comparison group) and process evaluations. Data Collection and Analysis Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion, extracted data, critically appraised the studies, and synthesised findings. Results We found that value chain interventions are successful in improving the economic conditions of their intended beneficiaries. The interventions were found to improve women's economic outcomes such as income, assets holdings, productivity, and savings, but these effects were small in size and limited by low confidence in methodological quality. The meta-analysis suggests that this occurs more via the acquisition of skills and improved inputs, rather than through improvement in access to profitable markets. The qualitative evidence on interventions points to the persistence of cultural barriers and other constraints. Those interventions implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are consistently more successful for all outcomes considered, although there are few studies conducted in other areas of the world. Conclusions The review concludes that value chain interventions empower women, but perhaps to a lesser extent than expected. Economic empowerment does not immediately translate into empowerment within families and communities. Interventions should either moderate their expectations of empowerment goals, or they should be implemented in a way that ensures higher rates of participation among women and the acquisition of greater decision-making power.
Gender differentiated adaptation strategies considering climate risk perceptions, impacts and socio-technical conditions in Senegal’s dry regions
(Working Paper, 2023) Kumar, Shalander; Pramanik, Soumitra; Yessofou, Adjani Nourou-Dine; Das, Abhishek; Singaraju, Niyati; Puskur, Ranjitha; Gondwe, Therese; Worou, Omonlola Nadine; Huyer, Sophia
This study analyses the gender-differentiated farmers’ perception of climate risk and its impact, access to climate information, and adaptation strategies with the aim to develop gender responsive climate adaptation pathways in Senegal’s dry regions. Study used data collected from 514 farm households through primary survey between May and June 2022 covering Kaffrine, Louga, and Thies sub-regions and multiple communes, including 5% women headed households and 12% women respondents. Through several interactions with key stakeholders, it became evident that while both men and women hold similar perceptions regarding climate risk and its impact on farming systems, women possess significantly less access to Climate Information Services (CIS) and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) technologies. The women farmers were found to be much more vulnerable to climate risks but often they rely on traditional coping mechanisms such as non-farm income through cottage activities, home gardening etc. rather than modern CSA technologies. Both men and women emphasized the importance of context-specific climate information to be shared with them. Barriers to climate adaptation, such as limited knowledge of CSA, inadequate resources, and dearth of timely climate information, were identified, underscoring the importance for community resilience. The Tobit regression analysis highlighted multifaceted determinants of households’ ability to adapt to climate change, emphasizing the roles of gender empowerment, education, access to CSA and CIS, and regional disparities. The study underscores the importance of understanding community perceptions and drivers of adaptive capacity, addressing barriers, and based on empirical evidence we propose a gender-responsive pathway to climate-resilient agriculture. These insights and proposed pathways can help policymakers and practitioners to navigate the complex terrain of climate change effectively. Finally, these findings underscore the need for informed policy interventions, tailored strategies and appropriate institutional interventions to address cultural barriers and enhance women’s role in farming decision making and access to CIS and CSA.
Is agricultural labour feminizing in South and South East Asia: Analysis of demography and health services data on women and work
(Journal Article, 2023-07-11) Oloo, Stephen; Galiè, Alessandra; Teufel, Nils
'Feminisation of agriculture’ is generally utilized to indicate an expansion of women’s engagement in agricultural production, as labourers or decision-makers. Feminization of Agriculture is often reported as a global trend. While literature on feminization of agriculture (FoA) has seen a steady rise in the last decade, there is little consensus on defining feminization of agriculture and consistent approaches that provide comparative quantitative data on FoA are lacking. This compromises the ability to provide a comparative understanding of the extent of feminization across various regions. In this paper, we develop a methodological approach to assessing the extent of FoA and deploying it on DHS data from South and South-East Asia. Our data show that in Cambodia, India, Indonesia and Nepal the trend has been towards a Masculinization of Agriculture between 2005 and 2017, while no trend could be determined for the Philippines. We discuss the implications of our results while highlighting some of the limitations of our approach and suggesting possible next research steps.
Scoping review on gender-disaggregated data in climate smart agriculture
(Presentation, 2023-05-24) CARE
The Working Woman’s ‘Time Poverty’ in the Polders
(Newsletter Article, 2022-06) International Rice Research Institute
In the polders, women often provide unpaid labor in their agricultural activities. They are heavily involved in crop production, homestead gardening, gher operations, as well as livestock and poultry raising. However, the trend is changing; the number of women working in paid jobs in the polders is increasing.

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