Gender Conference Papers

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/66603

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 29

The role of evaluation in successful integrated natural resource management
(Conference Paper, 2004) Twomlow, Stephen; Lilja, Nina
Evaluating the impact of NRM research is essential. This paper suggests that a key to evaluation of NRM research is the mindset of the researchers. We discuss the contribution of four factors to a reflective learning process necessary in integrated NRM: stakeholder participation, systems approach to evaluation, timing of evaluation and an interative approach.
Decentralized-participatory plant breeding: an example of demand driven research
(Conference Paper, 2005) Ceccarelli, Salvatore; Grando, Stefania
Participatory plant breeding exploits the potential gains of breeding for specific adaptation through decentralized selection. This article describes a model of participatory plant breeding in which genetic variability is generated by professional breeders, selection is conducted jointly by breeders and farmers, and the best selections are used in further cycles of recombination.
Intensification of livestock feed production in Ethiopian highlands: Potential and experiences of the African Highlands Initiative
(Conference Paper, 2005) Amede, Tilahun; Mengistu, S; Roothaert, R.
Livestock production is an essential part of subsistence systems in the Ethiopian highlands. In this paper we are reviewing the role of existing feed resources, and the potential for improving feed systems and intensification pathways in an integrated way.
Complementing Farmers' Genetic Knowledge Farmer Breeding Workshop in Turipaná, Colombia
(Conference Paper, 2001) Saad, N; Hernández, L.A.; Morante, N
This workshop explored the feasibility and methods for complementing farmer experts' knowledge and skills in the enhancement and conservation of agrobiodiversity.
Combining PPB and marker-assisted selection: strategies and experiences with rice
(Conference Paper, 2002) Steele, K; Virk, D; Prasad, S; Witcombe, John R.
Participatory plant breeding should not preclude the use of modern biotechnological techniques.
Women’s empowerment and the adoption of improved maize varieties: Evidence from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania
(Conference Paper, 2016) Seymour, Gregory; Doss, Cheryl; Marenya, Paswel Phiri; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.; Passarelli, Simone
Despite recent evidence that decisions about technology adoption often involve input from both men and women, the literature on technology adoption rarely considers gender and intrahousehold issues. In this paper, we use survey data from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania to investigate the influence of women’s empowerment on the adoption of improved maize varieties (IMVs). While our results are mixed as to whether or not women’s empowerment is positively correlated with higher rates of adoption, we find overwhelmingly that women’s empowerment is positively correlated with greater participation by women in decisions about the adoption of IMVs, the acquisition of credit for the purchase of IMVs, and the acquisition of extension services related to IMVs.
Picturing impact of the PEDIGREA program: a case study from Indramayu, Indonesia
(Conference Paper, 2005) Wienarto, Nugroho; Kuswara, Engkus; Hakim, Arief
Over the last twelve years, FIELD Indonesia staff has been using various participatory approaches towards measuring impact of its interventions, mainly in the framework of its involvement under FAO Community Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Asia program. Since 2002, FIELD is one of the partners in the PEDIGREA program, focusing on participatory crop and farm animal improvement. PEDIGREA is a regional program on farmer’s management of genetic resources, i.e. rice, local vegetables and poultry, which is implemented by three NGOs in Philippines, Cambodia and Indonesia, and supported by Wageningen UR, FAO, and IPGRI APO. The first attempt in 1991 (the development of three IPM Village Profiles) involved having farmers draw and discuss the benefits of participation in a Farmer Field School (FFS). Other approaches are relying on aerial planning and interactive participation techniques, iterative appraisal approaches, and socio-economic impacts. Comparing these approaches reveals that a wide scope of options for monitoring impact is available. Here we report on the results of an impact assessment method that appeared highly practical as a participatory tool: a participatory and interactive perception measuring technique for which farmers were asked to analyze the impact of the PEDIGREA program activities in their villages by making a photograph series of the project results and discussing the photographs in the community. The process distinguishes three steps: a) a three days workshop with farmer representatives from each group/village to discuss the concept of project results and impacts, to learn how to take useful photographs, and to make a work plan of objects and situations for each village to be photographed; b) a two week period of activities in each village to take photos, to select the interesting pictures, and to write the explanatory notes for each of the photos; c) a three days workshop to finalize the notes for each picture, to reflect on the program impacts and farmer’s benefits, to evaluate the impact study process, and to develop follow-up plan for each group/village. Some of the major results as visualized in the impact monitoring approach include: other farmers in the villages started to learn the breeding process from the farmer participants in the FFS; other farmers started to ask for and plant the local vegetable seeds, e.g. luffa and bitter gourd, which resulted from breeding activities in the village; better prices in local market for luffa produce by the farmer participants were realized; and some village authorities provided resources to the groups to conduct local field studies.
Participatory research: a catalyst for greater impact
(Conference Paper, 2005) Hellin, Jonathan; Badstue, Lone B.; Bellon, M.
This paper discusses the notion of farmer empowerment as a primary objective of participatory research. The authors argue that agricultural technologies are adapted - not adopted – through a social and cultural process which includes the transformation of the technology. Farmer participation in agricultural research is important and necessary first of all to increase the efficiency and impact of agricultural research and technology development. This includes the identification of traits that can guide crop breeders’ work. Farmer empowerment is valuable and desirable, and while it can result from participatory research, direct empowerment per se should not be the main objective of participatory research conducted by research organizations. Of more importance is the empowerment of partner organizations and the identification of future research needs, i.e. the functional purposes of participatory approaches in agricultural research.
Intra-household impact of improved dual-purpose cowpea on women in northern Nigeria
(Conference Paper, 2005) Tipilda, A; Alene, A.; Manyong, Victor M.; Singh, B.
This study explores the intra-household impact of transfer of improved dualpurpose cowpea from a gender perspective. Increased productivity by IDPC, has increased food, fodder and income availability. The impact of which is linked to the income it has placed in the women’s hands. Surplus income has been found to be extremely important in providing food and nutritional benefits to the home, particularly during periods of risk. Most importantly, income generated through the adoption of IDPC has entered a largely female domain, where transfers of gifts and income reserves were passed on from generation to generation. Having meaningful impact towards the social and economic development for the women. However, the technology has strengthened the separation of working spheres between men and women, with the associated seclusion of wives. Future IITA technologies, should attempt from the onset, to use alternatives, existing within the local rubric, to target women, with the aim of expanding their participation and contribution to agriculture with the associated benefits to their families.
Collaborative participatory research as a learning process: the case of CIP and CARE in Peru
(Conference Paper, 2005) Ortíz, Oscar; Frias, Guillermo; Ho, Raul; Cisneros, Hector; Nelson, Rebecca; Castillo, Renee; Orrego, Ricardo; Pradel, W.; Alcázar, Jesus; Bazan, Mario
Participatory research (PR) has been analyzed and documented from different points of view, but particularly taking into consideration the benefits that this process generates for farmers. Studies of the benefits of PR for other actors such as field staff, researchers and organizations have been limited, with organizational learning receiving the least attention. This paper analyzes the interaction between the International Potato Center (CIP) and CARE in Peru and makes the case that PR can also contribute to creating a collaborative learning environment that generates important lessons for the individuals and organizations involved. The paper describes the evolution of the collaborative environment of these two institutions for more than a decade. Three interactive learning periods are presented, namely the “information transfer period” (1993 –1996) the “action-learning period” (1997-2002), and the “social learning period” (on-going). Several lessons from each period, as well as changes in institutional contexts and perceptions, are described. The CIP-CARE case shows that research and developmentoriented organizations can interact fruitfully using PR as a mechanism to promote learning, as well as flexibility in interaction and innovativeness, and that a process of osmosis of information occurs between groups that use PR in a specific case to other groups within the organizations, influencing behavior. However, the paper also indicates that institutional learning should be promoted more specifically in order to extract guidelines from the lessons, which can influence the way organizations plan and implement their projects in a constantly changing environment.
Agricultural development among poor farmers in Soroti district, Uganda: impact assessment of agricultural technology, farmer empowerment and changes in opporunity structures
(Conference Paper, 2005) Friis-Hansen, Esbern
This paper is based on participatory development research carried out in Soroti district of Uganda with the aim to assess the impact of agricultural development among poor farmers. The central argument in this study is that a combination of farmer empowerment and innovation through experiential learning in FFS groups and changes in the opportunity structure through transformation of LGA staff, establishment of subcounty farmer fora, and emergence of private service provider, has been successful in reducing rural poverty. Based on an empirical study of successful adaptation and spread of pro-poor technologies, the study assesses the well-being impact of agricultural technology development in Soroti district, Uganda. It further analyzes the socioeconomic and institutional context under which pro-poor technologies are adopted by poor farmers.
Participatory development projects in the Andes - looking for empowerment with Q-Methodology
(Conference Paper, 2005) Zuger Caceres, Regula
This is about the first steps in a study on poverty alleviation and the question whether participatory interventions make a significant contribution to the empowerment of poor Andean farmers. Participatory methods of intervention have been applied now for many years in many development projects, based on the philosophy that development will not be sustainable if the “end-users” of so called “beneficiaries” are not appropriately involved and participating in the projects. The process of active participation is supposed to empower the people involved and improve their personal development which at the same time is often considered to be as important for poverty alleviation as a good economic return of a development project. Q-Methodology is used in order to achieve better insight into the subjective nature of this famous factor “empowerment”, which is considered important even by the World Bank now. (Narayan D., 2002) The subjective reality of a person is a functional reality, it is often much more functional than the external “objective” reality, because it is what people perceive and what makes up their life. With Q-Methodology people can be grouped into “factors” (groups of people) with different functional realities, with different perceptions of “reality”, with different reactions within certain situations. The thesis is that if people get “empowered” by an intervention of a project, at least their inner, subjective reality is supposed to change, even if their external reality might not change substantially yet. Therefore people in several different places in the Peruvian Andes are assessed with Q-Methodology before and after intervention of two different types of projects and changes shall be tracked. At this stage there only exist the data “before-intervention”, the interviews “after-intervention” will take place next. The projects mentioned are FAO Farmer Field Schools near Huancayo, central part of Peru and the Rural Sanitation Program SANBASUR near Cusco, more in the South of Peru. In Huancayo the study includes 88 persons, 51 project participants and 37 test persons (non participants); in Cusco the study is including 77 project participants and 77 nonparticipants. First analyses of the baseline data are on the way.
Assessing the impact of participatory research in rice breeding on poor rice farming households with emphasis on women farmers: a case study in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India
(Conference Paper, 2005) Paris, Thelma; Singh, Abha; Singh, V.; Atlin, Gary; Reyes, Amelia de los
For the past years since the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Systemwide Initiative on Participatory Research and Gender Analysis (PRGA) was initiated, guides for impact assessment of PRGA have been developed (Lilja and Ashby 1999; Johnson et.al., 2000; Lilja and Johnson 2001). However, according to Farnworth and Jiggins (2003) while there is rapidly growing literature on the impacts of PPB on farmers, this is not further differentiated by sex. Despite the immense literature on the impacts of production, post production technologies on women farmers, systematic studies on the impacts of PPB on women in any category, either in terms of the effects of being a participant in a participatory plant breeding process (PPB) process, or in terms of the impact of the new materials generated is few. There is practically no literature that examines the effects of PPB – either as process or in terms of the impacts of the emergent materials – on gender relations at the household, community or any other relevant social or geographic scale along the food chain. Even with women’s active involvement in rice production, post harvest and seed management, scientists who are mostly male often talk with the male farmers only. Ignoring women’s knowledge and preference for rice varieties may be an obstacle to adoption of improved varieties, particularly in areas with gender-specific tasks, and in farm activities where women have considerable influence. Feldstein (1996) cited three different ways in which gender analysis can be considered in participatory research. These are: the efficiency argument, equity oriented, and empowerment. This study attempts to fill in these research gaps. The objectives of this paper are to: a) discuss the process used in integrating participatory research and gender analysis in breeding for drought prone and submergence prone environment; b) assess how gender analysis contributed to the design and implementation of the research and development outcomes; c) assess the impacts of PVS on poor women farmers, particularly on women’s empowerment; and d) recommend strategies to further enhance women’s roles in ensuring household food (rice) food security and improving their social status within the household and the community.
Cost of doing a research: comparing participatory and conventional silviculture research in Nepal
(Conference Paper, 2005-10-21) Acharya, K; Goutam, K
Participatory forestry known as community forestry is now widely adopted as a means to develop sustainable rural livelihoods. It is focused on forest management and improved access to multiple forest products. The diverse needs of communities living in different climatic and ecological zones and under different socio-economic conditions have imposed a pattern of a multitude of localized forestry research studies in Nepal. The increasing demand for forestry products can only be met through the development, adoption and implementation of innovative technologies in managing forest resources. Thus, forestry research in Nepal has the responsibility for providing useful and updated information for the management of declining forest resources both to local users and to centrally located policy makers. The traditional research has largely failed to provide this information and respond to the challenges of sustainable forestry development in Nepal and has largely been constrained with the lack of financial resources. The Department of Forest Research and Survey under the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation has initiated participatory research approach in mid 90's with a view to develop methodologies suitable to address multiple demands of people living in heterogeneous conditions. The vision is of an effective and powerful partnership of civil and government stakeholders agreeing a research programme, providing resources, executing and evaluating it continuously and effectively. The paper presents the costs evaluation of two research sites on forest silviculture and management for a period of 6 years from two research sites. The first study is a conventional silviculture research established by the department seeking appropriate management options for Sal (Shorea robusta) forest. Similarly, the focus of the second plot is to explore the management potential of Sal forests in the mid hills of Nepal. The second research is a participatory carried out in partnerships with a forest user group in a community forests. The paper analyses nature of the costs, magnitude, structure, and temporal behaviors of the costs at various stages of research planning and management process. In addition, nature and share of these costs among the department and the participant forest users group is compared. There is considerable variation in the structure and magnitude of the costs in participatory and conventional research. The result clearly provides evidences that participatory research is significantly cheaper compared to conventional forestry research. The research establishment, protection and maintenance costs are drastically lower in participatory research. The information provides evidences for research manager to justify its existence by providing the results and answers required by its clients in the fight against poverty, forest degradation and environmental deterioration. The cost evaluation and adoption of participatory research can justify the use of scarce resources and demonstrate researchers ability to provide the information needed by clients and make the research institution effective and functional.
Decentralized participatory plant breeding
(Conference Paper, 2004) Ceccarelli, Salvatore; Grando, Stefania
It is widely recognized that conventional plant breeding has been more beneficial to farmers in high potential environments or those who could profitably modify their environment to suit new cultivars, than to the poorest farmers who could not afford to modify their environment through the application of additional inputs and could not risk the replacement of their traditional, well-known and reliable varieties. As a consequence, low yields, crop failures, malnutrition, famine, and eventually poverty are still affecting a large proportion of humanity. Participatory plant breeding is seen by several scientists as a way to overcome the limitations of conventional breeding by offering farmers the possibility of deciding which varieties better suit their needs and conditions without exposing the household to any risk. Participatory plant breeding exploits the potential gains of breeding for specific adaptation through decentralized selection, defined as selection in the target environment, and is the ultimate conceptual consequence of a positive interpretation of genotype x environment interactions. This article describes a model of participatory plant breeding in which genetic variability is generated by professional breeders, selection is conducted jointly by breeders, extension specialists and farmers in a number of target environments, and the best selections are used by breeders in further cycles of recombination. Farmers handle the first phases of seed multiplication of promising breeding material in village-based seed production systems. The model has the following advantages: (i) varieties reach the release phase earlier than in conventional breeding; (ii) the release and seed multiplication concentrate on varieties known to be acceptable by farmers; (iii) it increases biodiversity because different varieties are selected in different locations; (iv) varieties fit to the agronomic management that farmers are familiar with and can afford and therefore can be beneficial to poor farmers. These advantages are particularly relevant to developing countries where large investments in plant breeding have not resulted in production increases, especially in marginal environments.
Implementing a framework for action to assess research impact: Case studies on impact assessment from two global research projects of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
(Conference Paper, 2005) Bhatt, Yogesh
Through its research on land and water management, IWMI strives to have a “positive impact on the activities and perspectives of policy makers, water managers and poor rural communities in developing countries” (IWMI, 2001, 10). However, evaluating the impact of research activities is a much-discussed topic and continues to be a challenge. Furthermore, with the growing importance of the concepts such as ‘participation’, ‘capacity building’ and ‘empowerment’, there is an increasing concern to know how to monitor and assess the effect and impact of such qualitative processes. To address these challenges, IWMI developed a framework for assessing the impact of its research in 2003. The framework addresses both conceptual and practical considerations for measuring and tracking impacts of natural resource management research and serves as a road map for IWMI to better assess its contributions towards improved land and water management in developing countries. This paper discusses IWMI’s Framework for Action to assess research impacts, describes a logical thought process for considering nature and scale of desired impacts and the pathways for impact achievement, and outlines a methodology for practical impact assessment. Building on the impact framework, the paper then examines the process of establishing impact and learning systems in two research projects- “Smallholder Systems Innovation in Integrated Watershed Management in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSI)” which is implemented in South Africa and Tanzania; and “Models for Implementing Multiple-use Water Supply Systems for Enhanced Land and Water Productivity, Rural Livelihoods and Gender Equity (MUS)”, which operates in five international river basins in Central America, Africa and Asia. The paper also provides an overview of a diverse set of generic indicators used by IWMI for in evaluating the impact of natural resource management research at local, basin and national levels. Finally, the paper discusses how impact evaluation can be made con-current process in the life cycle of the projects and established as a powerful learning tool, not only for
Assessing impacts of pathogen-tested sweetpotato planting materials in Central Luzon, Philippines
(Conference Paper, 2005) Basilio, Carlos; Tablarin, Rizalina; Porciuncula, Fe; Dolores, Lolit
Sweet potato production in Central Luzon, Philippines has been plagued by a virus disease complex locally known as “camote kulot.” Aside from causing more than 50% reduction in yield, the disease was also responsible for the loss of an important variety with good and well-accepted agronomic characteristics. Interagency efforts resulted in a technology in the production of clean planting materials through thermotheraphy and meristem culture. A sweetpotato variety has been cleaned up, reproduced and multiplied for farmers use. CIP-UPWARD supported the use of participatory R&D approaches to adapt CPM in sweetpotato-associated livelihood systems in the region. The program implemented livelihood systems analysis, farmer field schools and farmer participatory researches. Several technical and socio-economic evaluation activities were also conducted to determine the contribution of these projects and CPM in livelihood systems. The results indicated the role of participatory approaches in facilitating project outputs and outcomes. PR&D approaches intensify awareness of research and development institutions about “kulot” and the potential of CPM in solving it leading to their provision of resources and other support to its solution. CPM were produced and used by 117 farmers in 19 villages of the provinces of Tarlac and Bataan. Local government units provided their own resources to so that their constituents will benefit from the technology. They build nethouses, finance FFS and mobilize communities leading to establishment of enterprises out of CPM technology. Unfortunately, there are a number of technical, socio-economic and policy issues that limits more widespread use of CPM and improvements in contributions of sweetpotato to the livelihood systems of households in the region. The paper also looks at the various elements of participatory research and development, how they have been operationalized within the project context and how they have contributed to achieving project outcomes and impacts. These elements evolved from UPWARD’s own field-based experiences and from efforts by other organizations to develop a wide range of participatory approaches. The paper explores the use of the following elements - problem-based agenda, impact-driven objectives, field-based action, user responsiveness, household orientation, livelihood systems framework, integration of scientific and local knowledge, interdisciplinary mode and inter-institutional partnerships, as touchstones for assessing PR&D processes.
No more adoption rates! Looking for empowerment in agricultural development programmes
(Conference Paper, 2005) Bartlett, Andrew
The Plant Protection Department has responded to these developments by organising workshops for Farmer Trainers. This has led to further initiatives by IPM farmers. Mr Neupane and Mrs Bimauli are now members of the Jhapa IPM Association, an organisation that is run by farmers and which is linking up with similar associations in other Districts. The association in Jhapa plans and organises its own training activities, and negotiates the support required from the Department of Agriculture and Local Government Units.
Participatory process of developing performance indicators in a global partnership programme: the case of PROLINNOVA
(Conference Paper, 2005) Espineli, Marissa; Waters-Bayer, Ann
Programme monitoring and evaluation (M&E) presents a lot of challenges, especially when one adds to this process the dimensions of participation, partnership and learning. Then, the whole process becomes much more complicated. The PROLINNOVA M&E is a shared evolving process continuously sharpened to meet the needs of the partnership. This paper describes a specific part of that process, the development of performance indicators for the PROLINNOVA programme. The start-up process, already, has offered many insights in terms of creating a balance between the PROLINNOVA programme accountability and partners’ autonomy in decision-making and action. Side by side with creating shared ownership of the M&E system is the importance of the partners’ roles and responsibilities in making the system work.
Creating learning cultures for gender mainstreaming
(Conference Paper, 2005) Amaratunga, Carol
The inclusion of gender mainstreaming and multisectoral frameworks in agricultural planning can be extremely helpful in understanding and measuring how development interventions impact women and men, girls and boys differently. The case study of gender mainstreaming in the health sector i.e. gender and HIV/AIDS, provides a useful example of how a gender analysis can serve as a critical tool for social change. Not only does a gender mainstreaming approach help to measure empowerment differentials between the sexes, it is also useful for assessing stakeholder assets and needs. This, in itself, provides a practical starting point in the program planning process. Gender assessment tools and indicators measure the impact of gender on performance and productivity and are transferable from one sector to another e.g. from health to agriculture. This paper addresses the lessons learned from the impact of HIV/AIDS on sustainable livelihoods in agriculture, with particular focus on the factors which place women and girls at greater risk of HIV infection. The paper also identifies gender and human rights indicators from the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which are relevant to agricultural research. National system wide gender “mainstreaming” strategies provide practical approaches for integrating gender objectives into planning areas and expected outcomes. Additionally, monitoring and evaluation processes which integrate gender indicators into multisectoral policy and program reviews provide clear measures of citizen engagement and participation. These measures help planners to target resources and program interventions to specific audiences. They also reflect the extent to which women are empowered and the degree to which women’s and men’s contributions are recognized and valued in their respective societies. This paper provides an overview of strategic approaches for impact assessment of multisectoral approaches for gender mainstreaming in agriculture. Examples and illustrations of gender audit guidelines, checklists, and program interventions have been shared and transferred from Gender and HIV/AIDS and CEDAW to the agriculture sector.

Browse

Recent Submissions