CGIAR GENDER Platform GREAT capacity strengthening program

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Trait preferences of sorghum and pearl millet value chain actors in Mali and Burkina Faso: a case for gender- responsive and demand-driven breeding
(Journal Article, 2024-06-14) Yila, Jummai Othniel; Sylla, Almamy; Traoré, Sékou; Sawadogo-Compaoré, Eveline
Sorghum and pearl millet have adapted to the socioecological environment in the dryland of West Africa and have been the staple crops for many years. Engaging key stakeholders and improving the sorghum and pearl millet breeding process is essential to addressing the evolving demands of end-users and environmental conditions. Unlike most trait preference studies focusing on men and women farmers’ trait choices, we examined sorghum and pearl millet key value chain actors (VCA), including producers, processors, traders, and consumers. We identified their preferred traits of varieties that need to be mainstreamed into the breeding pipelines. Drawing on the past efforts and experiences of the sorghum and pearl millet breeding programs from the last 30 years, the study was designed to integrate gender equality in sorghum and pearl millet breeding decisions and traits prioritization in West Africa. This process was implemented in phases, leading to the drafting of gender-responsive and client-oriented product profiles. The paper elicited an understanding of how the roles and interests of sorghum and pearl millet VCA influence their varietal choice and adoption decisions. The study found both differences and similarities in the trait preferences of the men and women VCA. Most women, mainly in the production and processing nodes, prefer varieties with specific food and grain quality traits, while men prioritize grain yield and biotic stress resistance traits. Even though both men’s and women’s varietal choices align with their roles in production and consumption, grain yield was commonly desired across gender, crop, and value chain segments. The findings revealed that the gendered interest of actors in the crops’ value chain determines their choice of variety. Gender responsiveness requires identifying and understanding the needs and choices of the sorghum and millet VCA and mainstreaming these into the breeding pipeline. The approach employed in the study elicits the understanding, roles, and interests of the various actors and how these factors influence men’s and women’s decisions to adopt a crop variety. All major stakeholders should co-develop product profiles for the variety being developed to enable co-ownership, increase adoption, and improve gender equity in agricultural technology development and deployment.
Gender, social, household, and ecological factors influencing wheat trait preferences among the women and men farmers in India
(Journal Article, 2024-06-13) Gartaula, Hom N.; Atreya, Kishor; Konath, Noufa C.; Mondal, Suchismita; Singh, Ravi P.
The goal of public breeding programs is to develop and disseminate improved varieties to farmers. This strategy aims at providing farming communities with superior crop varieties than they are growing. However, the strategy rarely considers the needs and preferences of farmers, especially gendered preferences, failing to solve real field problems by addressing the differences and inequalities prevalent in the farming communities. Our research examines how personal, household, agronomic and ecological characteristics of wheat growers in Bihar, India’s eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains, affect women and men’s wheat trait choices. Data were obtained from 1,003 households where both male and female respondents from the same household were interviewed. We accounted for 23 traits of wheat from a careful assessment of production, environment, cooking quality, market demand, and esthetic criteria. Binomial logistic regression was used to determine women’s and men’s trait preferences. The results imply that gender influences the preferences of wheat traits. Some traits are favored by both women and men, however, in other instances, there are striking disparities. For example, men choose wheat varieties that are well adapted to extreme climate conditions, have a higher grain yield, and produce chapati with a superior taste, while women prefer wheat types with superior chapati making quality, higher grain yield, and high market prices. Other socioeconomic, agronomic, cultural, and geolocational factors have a considerable impact on trait preferences. These human dimensions of traits preferred by women and men farmers are important for trait combinations to develop breeding product profiles for certain market segments.
A gender-responsive breeding approach to the intensification of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) production in the Maradi region of Niger
(Journal Article, 2024) Lawali, S.; Boureima, S.; Idi, S.
Climatic variability and a decrease in soil fertility have had a detrimental effect on the productivity of the main rainfed crops in Niger (millet, sorghum, and cowpea) and led to a deterioration of the nutritional status and income of the country's farmers. The spatio-temporal variability in rainfall has led rural populations to diversify their farms by integrating sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) into their cropping systems because of its low water and fertilizer requirements. Sesame is increasingly becoming a significant source of income for farmers, and it contributes to their food and nutritional security. To boost the production of sesame and facilitate its rapid adoption, our breeding program focused on participatory breeding and varietal selection with the inclusion of gender-specific preferences, from the variety design to the evaluation of new lines on farms. This case study shows that, although women have more experience in sesame cultivation than men, they have less access to production factors such as land. This limited access is especially problematic, as recent trends in land tenure mean that the poorest are no longer able to exploit large areas of cultivable land. It also evidenced that the varietal preferences of sesame growers as well as the mastery of production techniques are a function of the livelihoods and the investment capacity of actors in the value chain. Our study found that men mainly prefer production traits, whereas women have fewer trait preferences, and their preferences tend to be related to marketing and processing. This finding highlights the contrasting roles and responsibilities between men and women in the sesame value chain. Therefore, the inclusion of complementary traits preferred by women and men, provided that they are not negatively correlated with a variety profile, will help meet the full range of needs across the value chain. We recommend the inclusion of gender research in setting breeding goals prior to variety design.
Farmer-preferred traits and variety choices for finger millet in Uganda
(Journal Article, 2024-02-28) Hamba, S.; Kasule, F.; Mayanja, I.; Biruma, M.; Natabirwa, H.; Sanya, L.N.; Rubin, D.; Occelli, M.; Adikini, S.
Finger millet is a climate-resilient crop providing food and nutrition security and income In Uganda. However, the current productivity of finger millet in farmers’ fields is low and among other factors, this is due to the poor adoption of improved varieties. With this study we aim to identify and profile varietal traits preferred by finger millet farmers and consumers in Uganda. We specifically focus on how these traits vary among women and men in the Ugandan finger millet value chain. We collect data using semi-structured questionnaires among 170 households growing millet in Bushenyi, Lira, and Nwoya districts, and we triangulate questionnaires replies with qualitative information from 11 focus group discussions and 3 key informant interviews. Using descriptive statistics and probit regression models, we find that the majority of the farmers (97%) prefer growing landrace varieties of finger millet compared to only 3% growing improved varieties. The most preferred varieties were Kaguma in Bushenyi, Ajuko Manyige in Nwoya, Kal Atar, and Okello Chiba in Lira. Farmers’ choice of variety depends on a combination of traits including agronomic, marketing, and consumption traits. Gender, marital status, education levels, and occupation are the major socio-demographic factors that influence specific preferences related to finger millet variety. This study lays a foundation for designing a gender-responsive finger millet product profile to guide the development and release of new varieties by the finger millet crop improvement program.
Data-driven review on gender and rice varietal trait preferences in Bangladesh
(Journal Article, 2024-02-12) Khan, M.S.; Sarkar, M.A.R.; Islam, M.R.; Bhandari, H.
In Bangladesh, farmers adapt to changing conditions through the adoption of improved varieties containing new or combined traits. The diverse varietal adoption decisions among farmers stem from gender-based differences in trait preferences. This review synthesizes existing knowledge to assess the nature, extent, and causes of gendered disparities in rice varietal trait preferences among farmers and consumers in Bangladesh. To enhance the data-driven nature of this review, we not only scrutinized secondary articles (45 documents) and databases but also incorporated and analyzed primary data on varietal adoption and trait preferences. The analysis revealed a pronounced need for rice breeding programs in Bangladesh to integrate both market and climate-smart traits, aligning with gender-specific needs in developing optimal rice product profiles. Analysis of primary data unveiled substantial variations in women and men farmers’ varietal trait preferences, influenced by factors like income, access to farming information, household size, land size, and decision-making. Consequently, addressing gender-differentiated trait preferences in the development of improved rice varieties is crucial to curtail farmers’ varietal adoption lag in Bangladesh. The findings underscore the necessity of systematic identification and integration of gender-differentiated varietal trait preferences into rice breeding programs. Failure to account for such preferences may disadvantage the gender-responsiveness of developed varieties and limit the anticipated impact. Therefore, understanding the biophysical, social, and cultural dynamics of diverse farmer groups from a gender perspective is imperative for achieving gender-responsive rice variety development in the context of Bangladesh. This process involves identifying key gender concerns for integration into rice breeding programs, ensuring a comprehensive approach to sustainable agriculture.
Increasing sorghum yields for smallholder farmers in Mali: the evolution towards a context-driven, on-farm, gender-responsive sorghum breeding program
(Journal Article, 2024-05-15) Isaacs, Krista; Weltzien-Rattunde, Eva; Some, Tiare Hermann Williams; Abdoulaye Diallo; Bocar Diallo; Mamourou Sidibé; vom Brocke, Kirsten; Bakary Samake; Nebié, Baloua; Weltzien-Rattunde, Henry Frederick
This case study explores a decades long evolution towards a gender-responsive sorghum breeding program in Mali. With known disparities in men and women’s access to the resources that improve agricultural productivity and evidence that gender roles and responsibilities shape knowledge and preferences about varieties, there is need for methods that support gender-responsive processes in plant breeding programs. Gender-sensitive and gender-responsive approaches in plant breeding may increase varietal options available to diverse end-users, increase adoption, and limit negative impacts on vulnerable populations. We assess a participatory plant breeding program in Mali to identify determinants of gender-responsive breeding programs. The analysis uses a case study methodology that draws upon project reports, theses, articles, and experiential knowledge to understand how the sorghum breeding program transitioned over time. This case study details (a) more than a decade of sorghum breeding activities and research that led to (b) the inclusion of women in participatory plant breeding, culinary tests, and large-scale participatory selection in on-farm trials, reaching hundreds of women each year and (c) iterative co-learning processes to develop preferred sorghum varieties and increase sorghum yields on men and women’s fields. Analyses indicated that collaborations among many institutions on-farm with community actors, research across various disciplines such as agronomy and social sciences, context-specific breeding, and long-term funding were essential to increasing gender sensitivity and responsive in the breeding efforts.
Understanding specific gender dynamics in the cowpea value chain for key traits to inform cowpea breeding programs in Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania
(Journal Article, 2024) Chipeta, M.M.; Kampanje-Phiri, J.; Moyo, D.; Colial, H.; Tamba, M.; Belarmino, D.; Hella, J.; Yohane, E.; Mvula, N.; Kafwambira, J.
Cowpea is an important food and nutrition security crop in Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania and it is mainly produced by women farmers mainly on a subsistence scale. The majority of these farmers use local varieties despite the availability of improved varieties in the region. Low acceptability and adoption of improved varieties have also hampered cowpea breeding efforts. The low adoption, especially among women farmers, has been attributed to the failure by breeding programs to involve farmers in the process of designing and developing improved varieties with a view to meeting their priorities and preferences. Despite women constituting the majority of cowpea farmers in these countries, no comprehensive gender analysis on cowpea value chain had been instituted to understand the traits that are gender and youth responsive and how to incorporate them in the product profiling so that the developed varieties benefit men, women and youth. The main objective of the gender study was, therefore, to identify preferred traits by different gender groups within the whole cowpea value chain to inform cowpea breeding programs in the three countries.
Gender-Responsive Researchers Equipped for Agricultural Transformation (GREAT): Trainer’s Manual for the Gender-Responsive Plant Breeding Course (Level 2)
(Training Material, 2024) Mangheni, M.N.; Tufan, H.A.; Asiimwe, E.
This manual presents the training process for the Gender-Responsive Plant Breeding course, implemented by Makerere and Cornell Universities, over a period of five years (2016-2020), under the Gender-Responsive Researchers Equipped for Agricultural Transformation (GREAT) project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It has five broad parts: I) Introduction; II) Required preparation before the course; III) Phase one (9-day, face-to-face training); IV) the 5-month Field Training phase; and V) Phase two (5-day, face-to-face training). Each session consists of specific learning objectives, session plans and slides, delivery methods, practical exercises and examples, as well as relevant tips and synthesized take-home messages. The sessions were developed by an international multidisciplinary team of experts in gender and agriculture and subjected to a rigorous peer review and quality assurance process. GREAT aims to contribute to building a pool of gender-responsive agricultural researchers able to advance more equitable and effective agricultural systems in Africa and beyond. This manual is for all facilitators/trainers interested in applied, gender responsive agricultural research.
Gender-inclusive consumer studies improve cassava breeding in Nigeria
(Journal Article, 2024) Madu, T.; Onwuka, S.; Nwafor, S.; Ejechi, M.; Ofoeze, M.; Onyemauwa, N.; Ukeje, B.; Eluagu, C.; Olaosebikan, Olamide; Benjamin Okoye
Including gender research in cassava breeding makes it easier for farmers to adopt new varieties that meet the specific needs and preferences of both male and female farmers, leading to increased adoption of new varieties, improved productivity, and better economic outcomes for the entire farming community. Gender was included in 2013 in variety development at the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Nigeria in response to the dis-adoption of some varieties by farmers who had not been part of varietal development from the start, and in light of social roles which influence the responsibilities, resources and livelihood outcomes of men, women and youths. Gender inclusion has given plant breeders accurate information about the cassava traits preferred by all end-users, not just male farmers. At NRCRI, gender studies intensified in the last 5 years, contributing to the development and release of improved varieties. Quantitative and qualitative research by the gender cross-cutting team modeled trait profiling and consumer preferences, to aid demand-led breeding. Some of the methods were acquired at several trainings on how to quantify qualitative responses for prioritization. Gender research techniques include participatory varietal selection (PVS), participatory plant breeding (PPB), mother-baby trials, focus group discussions (FGD), surveys, value chain mapping, G+ tools, experiments in farmer field schools (FFS), demonstration farms, and tricot. These gave the cross-cutting team a better understanding of gender relations, power, decision-making, ownership and control of resources, and have mitigated operational and field challenges during the surveys. These methods also elicited feedback from end-users that led to better naming of newly released varieties, reflecting perceptions of agronomic performance, and food qualities, which made the varieties easier to identify and remember.
Masculinities in a feminist pedagogy: lessons for transformative gender and agriculture training
(Journal Article, 2024) Mwiine, A.A.; Mangheni, M.N.; Asiimwe, E.; Businge, M.; Shimali, F.; Sanya, L.N.
Masculinities and femininities are closely interconnected with men and women farmers’ everyday lives; hence critical reflection on these interconnections should be central in gender training in agriculture. While a focus on men and masculinities is crucial for sustainable transformation of deep-rooted gender norms and practices that limit the attainment of gender equality, there are insufficient empirically tested pedagogical models for this purpose. We share a case study, the Gender Responsive Researchers Equipped for Agricultural Transformation (GREAT) model, which incorporates masculinities in a feminist pedagogy. We use external monitoring, evaluation, and learning data for two case study courses that integrate gender in plant breeding, seed systems, and agronomy to demonstrate the efficacy of integrating the concept of masculinity and reflections on male farmers’ expectations, behaviors, and practices within a feminist approach to gender training. We conclude that feminist pedagogical practices offer insights into how gender training can integrate a masculinities perspective to move beyond divisive and narrow gender polarities towards addressing masculine norms that often hinder the attainment of gender transformation.
Barriers and enablers of crop varietal replacement and adoption among smallholder farmers as influenced by gender: the case of sweetpotato in Katakwi district, Uganda
(Journal Article, 2024-04-18) Bayiyana, I.; Okello, J.J.; Mayanja, S.; Nakitto, M.; Namazzi, S.; Osaru, F.; Ojwang, S.O.; Shikuku, Kelvin Mashisia; Lagerkvist, Carl Johan
Sweetpotato is climate smart crop, grown with limited external inputs (fertilisers, pesticides, less labour) making it an attractive crop for resource-constrained smallholder farmers. It is also a major cash and food crop for many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. However, adoption of the high yielding and nutritious improved varieties has been disappointingly low. This study uses qualitative methods to explore the barriers and enablers of farmer varietal replacement and adoption. Unlike the extant quantitative studies that identify the determinants of adoption, we delve deeper into understanding the reasons for or against the preference for specific varieties. We used a rich set of information collected via focus group discussions which explore why farmers prefer certain varieties over others and how they perceive the new improved varieties from the national breeding programs. Doing so enabled us to unravel specific traits or trait combinations that farmers seek and identify those that they perceive needing improvement. We find that the most preferred traits were ‘yield’ and ‘good taste’. Implying that the neglect of sensory attributes by breeders contributes to the low adoption of improved sweetpotato varieties. Moreover, we find that altruism among the respondents plays an important role in farmer use of, and sharing of information about improved sweetpotato varieties. Women and men farmers obtained most of their information from neighbours, NGOs and radios. For women, the most important source of planting materials doubled as their most important source of information. Thus, concerted efforts to minimise information constraints are essential for unravelling the adoption puzzle.
Breaking ground: Transformative partnerships for inclusive bean breeding in Zimbabwe
(Journal Article, 2024-03-27) Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh; Chisorochengwe, Nyarai; Tsekenedza, Shylet; Gutsa, Freeman; Ndambuki, James Musyoka; Lutomia, Cosmas Kweyu
Common bean is often considered a woman’s crop because they play important roles from production to marketing. However, breeding programs often focus on farmers without adequate attention to the interconnectedness between gender and other socioeconomic variables and how they influence varietal and trait preferences of other value chain actors. This study analyzed gendered differences in bean production and trade, implications of socioeconomic conditions on bean production and marketing, and the role of partnerships in closing gender gaps in the bean value chain in Zimbabwe. The results obtained from the analysis of survey data collected from 131 farmers and 18 trades revealed beans as a dual-purpose crop for male and female farmers and traders. Varietal and trait preferences were the same for both male and female farmers and traders but were prioritized differently. While female farmers prioritized cooking time, men farmers prioritized biofortification and market traits. Whereas male traders equally preferred price, color, and appearance, female traders prioritized price over color and appearance. Poverty and marital statuses of respondents influenced the number of varieties preferred by male and female farmers. We found that the effectiveness of partnerships in closing gender gaps in marketing is variety specific. While having partners closed the gender gaps in the marketing of the NUA45 variety, such partnerships did not have the same effect on closing gender gaps in the marketing of Cherry, Gloria, and other varieties. The results show that considering socioeconomic characteristics of actors and partnerships can reduce gender disparities in the bean value chain. Therefore, breeding programs should recognize the interconnectedness between socioeconomic variables and gender when developing breeding products.
Participatory Evaluation of Sorghum Processing and Sensory Attributes in Mali: Methodology for Improving Food Security Outcomes from Variety Development Efforts
(Journal Article, 2023-02-28) Krista Isaacs; Marjolein Smit; Bakary Samaké; Fred Rattunde; Fatimata Cissé; Abdoulaye Diallo; Mamourou Sidibe; Eva Weltzien
A requirement for the successful development of new sorghum varieties in Mali is effective evaluation of grain qualities, since sorghum is a staple food crop on which farmers rely for food security. The diversity of grain quality and social aspects that determine varietal acceptability for processing and cooking, however, make this a challenging task. As the processors of sorghum grain in households, women’s knowledge of grain quality traits can contribute to this work. Our objective is to understand opportunities to use grain quality traits to identify experimental varieties that may contribute to food security. Culinary evaluations were conducted in nine villages across two sorghum production zones. Three teams of women, one per replicate, processed, cooked and evaluated five test varieties in each village. Sensory evaluations were conducted by 25 taste testers per village. The major varietal differences observed included the decortication losses, women’s appreciation for ease of processing, and consistency of the prepared food. The participatory evaluation of the quality testing results led to the development of the concept of ‘food yield’. Discussion of these results focuses on designing cost-efficient grain and food quality evaluations that rely on women’s expertise as processors and strengthens their role in the variety development process.
Importance of the Social Structures in Cowpea Varietal Demands for Women and Men Farmers in Segou Region, Mali
(Journal Article, 2023-02-13) Sylla, Almamy; Yila, Jummai Othniel; Diallo, Sory; Traoré, Sékou
Cowpea is the second most consumed leguminous crop after groundnut in Mali. Its national production was 260,000 tons in 2018. It contributes to nitrogen fixation in the soil. The improved varieties of cowpea cultivars contain traits such as high grain yield, drought resistance, and early maturity. However, the adoption of improved cowpea varieties remains low. The non-participation and or non-consideration of the needs of men and women farmers in the varietal selection process contributed to the low adoption rate of improved cowpea varieties. This study aims to understand the gender dynamics and social structures within the communities. It examines its influence on the adoption of improved varieties of cowpea. Anchored on gender relations theories, gender and social structures are analyzed as the core frame for organizing social relations that guide and coordinate individuals’ actions in a given situation. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were applied to collect data from cowpea growers in 11 villages around the Cinzana Research Station. It emerged from the study that male farmers are quick adopters of newly released cowpea varieties because they are mainly more involved in trials, innovation platforms, field visits, demonstration plot activities, and FPVS than women. Women are less involved in these activities, except in sorting harvested cowpea grains and seeds in the Cinzana Research Station. Women’s participation in cowpea related-activities is determined by the rules and norms of physical mobility and the structures that control and guide social interactions and connections within and outside of households and communities. The study recommends efficient resource allocation within households and communities, and the set up of strong institutional frameworks (such as innovation platforms) to enable women in adopting new and improved cowpea varieties and to expand the available opportunities in the cowpea production system.
Access and Control of Resources and Participation in Rice-Breeding Activities among Men and Women Farmers in Southern Ghana
(Journal Article, 2023-04-23) Asante, Bright Owusu; Puskur, Ranjitha; Garner, Elisabeth; Mangheni, Margaret Najjingo; Adabah, Richard; Asante, Maxwell Darko; Frimpong, Benedicta Nsiah; Prah, Stephen
This paper provides evidence of gender differences in the access and control of resources and their relation to participation in rice-breeding activities among men and women farmers in southern Ghana. We used a mixed methods design which involved the use of qualitative data collected through focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) and quantitative data collection through a survey. Using data collected from 315 smallholder rice farmers, perception analyses and probit and multivariate regression were employed in the analyses. Our findings indicate that higher levels of education, experience in rice farming, a favorable dependency ratio, larger farm size, more rice plots, access to extension services, and involvement with financial organizations positively influence participation in rice-breeding activities. On the other hand, distance to market is found to have a negative impact on participation. Moreover, years of education, experience in rice farming, farm size, number of rice plots, dependency ratio, and distance to market were found to negatively influence the control of production resources among both male and female participants in rice-breeding activities. From both the quantitative and qualitative results, men had more access to productive resources than women. Insights from this study will enhance gender equity in promoting the participation of both men and women in rice varietal development activities.
Gender trait preferences among smallholder cowpea farmers in northern Ghana: lessons from a case study
(Journal Article, 2023-10-12) Jinbaani, Alhassan Nuhu; Owusu, Emmanuel Yaw; Mohammedm Abdul-Razak; Tengey, Theophilus Kwabla; Mawunya, Michael; Kusi, Francis; Mohammed, Haruna
Introduction: This case study reports on how a gender responsive breeding program contributes to meeting the trait preference of men and women for improved cowpea varieties in northern Ghana. Methods: Fifty-eight early-maturing, medium-maturing and dual-purpose cowpea lines were planted at the CSIR-SARI research fields and women and men farmers invited for participatory plant breeding (PPB) in 2016. Selected lines from the PPB were further evaluated in 2017 using participatory varietal selection (PVS) in 5 districts in northern Ghana. In addition, 20 focus group discussions (FGDs) were held in 2018 in 10 randomly selected communities with 260 participants (130 women and 130 men) across the districts where the PVS had been held previously. Results and discussion: The study finds drought tolerance, short cooking time and pest resistance to be the most preferred cowpea traits among both men and women. The study also finds that gender differences exist in trait preference, especially for traits such as seed coat color, earliness, pod above canopy and indeterminate growth habit. As breeding programs focus on improving genetic gains for tolerance of biotic and abiotic stresses, equal attention must be given to breeding for traits desired by women.
Intra-household discrete choice experiment for trait preferences: a new method
(Journal Article, 2023-11-28) Mukerjee, Rishabh; Fatou Faye, Ndeye; Badji, Malamine J.; Gomez, Miguel; Rubin, Deborah; Tufan, Hale Ann; Occelli, Martina
Crop trait and varietal preferences are socially shaped, varying by gender, experience, and on-farm roles. This drives preference heterogeneity, between households but also within households. Adhering to the common practice of only interviewing the household head as a representative of households, leads to breeding programs collecting trait preferences that do not represent the experiences of other members within that household. This dearth of data on trait preferences of multiple household members could be hindered by the lack of robust and agile methods to collect this data. Here we present a method that explores intra-household differences between husbands and wives in trait preferences through choice experimentation, coupled with questions that capture decision-making, experience and time spent on farm to explore how these drive preferences. Dissecting crop management into three dimensions, we explore what drives intra-household heterogeneity in varietal preferences between husbands and wives, as well as, decision-making, crop experience and time spent working on the crop. We present preliminary results from testing this combined protocol with 270 cowpea growing households (540 respondents) in Senegal. The findings from this work hold promise to inform crop breeding programs on the value of intra-household analysis for trait priority setting, while offering a new method which is applicable by National Agricultural Research Organizations globally.
'They think we are delaying their outputs' - The challenges of interdisciplinary research: understanding power dynamics between social and biophysical scientists in international crop breeding teams
(Journal Article, 2023-09-28) Cullen, Beth; Snyder, Katherine A.; Rubin, Deborah; Tufan, Hale Ann
Public sector crop improvement for development programmes aims to produce varieties tailored to the needs of smallholder farmers and their environments. Understanding how social heterogeneity, including gender, drives trait preferences is essential to ensure that crop improvement objectives meet farmers’ and stakeholder demands. This requires an interdisciplinary approach, integrating social science knowledge with crop breeding. Although the necessity of interdisciplinary research is recognised and promoted, it is impeded by a multitude of challenges including ontological and epistemological differences, institutional and global hierarchies, disciplinary power relations and struggles for scientific authority. The Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) sector is marked by entrenched power differentials, including dominance of the biophysical sciences, a historical emphasis on technical solutions which ignores social contexts, and the underrepresentation of women scientists and farmers themselves. Nevertheless, there is limited theoretically informed analysis of power dynamics within AR4D settings. Drawing on qualitative, ethnographic observations of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Crop Improvement (ILCI), this article seeks to understand how power affects interdisciplinary research processes. Critical ethnography and power theory is used to analyse power within international crop breeding collaborations and the implications for inclusive knowledge production and research impact. The Powercube is used to examine how visible, hidden and invisible forms of power manifest within local, national, and international relationships across closed, invited and claimed spaces. Our findings suggest that these intersecting power dimensions, which include disciplinary, gendered, institutional and global hierarchies, constrain the contributions that individual researchers can make – particularly social scientists – thereby hindering disciplinary integration. The ILCI case study reveals the complex multi-dimensional dynamics that emerge within agricultural research teams and highlights structural limitations constraining efforts to build socially inclusive and gender-responsive crop improvement programmes. The article contributes to a small but growing literature studying the social construction of agricultural science, and provides insights that can enable interdisciplinary research strategies to more effectively meet the needs of farmers and other stakeholders.
The men who feed the world? Putting masculinities on the agenda for crop breeding research for development
(Journal Article, 2023-09-01) Arff Tarjem, Ida; Tufan, Hale Ann
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields that are dominated by men and masculine have historically been shown to lead to poor representation and discrimination of women and gender diverse scientists, managers, and leaders. This in turn negatively impacts inclusive innovation processes and outcomes. We claim that crop breeding is one such field that is undeniably dominated by men, and even masculine, and could therefore harbor the very same dynamics of exclusion. Yet there is a dearth of research systematically investigating how masculinities are performed in the institutions, organizations, cultures, discourses, and practices of crop breeding. In this Perspective piece, we present a theoretically informed hypothesis of crop breeding organizations as representing spaces where masculinities associated with rurality, management, and science and technology come together in ways that may marginalize women and gender diverse individuals, including in intersection with sexuality, race, ethnicity, and disability. In developing this hypothesis, we draw upon theoretical and empirical insights from masculinity studies in rural sociology, management and organization studies, and feminist technoscience studies. We demonstrate how critical men and masculinities studies can help expose masculinities in crop breeding to investigation, discussion, criticism, and change. As we seek to advance equality in and through crop breeding organizations, this framing helps to guide future research with potential to positively impact the culture of crop breeding research.
Transforming food systems: a gendered perspective on local agricultural innovation in Cuba
(Journal Article, 2023-10-06) Benítez Fernández, Bárbara; Nelson, Erin; Crespo Morales, Anaisa; Ortiz Pérez, Rodobaldo; Acosta Roca, Rosa; Cárdenas Travieso, Regla María
Compared to many countries, Cuba has made significant progress in advancing women's rights and gender equity; however, disparities remain. In the country's rural communities and agricultural sector, women continue to face barriers to equal participation and recognition for the value of their work. This case study shares the story of gender equity efforts that have been conducted within the framework of a broader development project—the Project to Strengthen a System of Innovation in Local Agricultural Development (PIAL, for its initials in Spanish). PIAL began in 2001 as a participatory plant-breeding initiative aimed at increasing the genetic diversity of key crops such as maize and beans. Over the course of two decades, the project's goals expanded to include an emphasis on increasing women's participation. In the beginning, those efforts focused on including women in the participatory plant-breeding activities, which enabled them to prioritize traits they cared about such as grain texture, cooking speed, and taste in the selection process. Over time, the participatory nature of the PIAL methodology empowered women to identify and pursue capacity-building in other areas of local agricultural innovation. While PPB remained central to PIAL, women also chose to pursue opportunities in seed bank management, leadership training, and small-scale farm-based entrepreneurship. The results of the PIAL work on gender have included not just more inclusive plant breeding, but also important economic improvements for rural women as they have been able to diversify their livelihoods, and social change as they have gained confidence and recognition as leaders in their households, communities, and beyond.

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