CGIAR GENDER Platform documents

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    GENDER’s storytelling training program: evaluating the Sep 2024 – Dec 2025 course
    (Report, 2024) Econnect Communications
    - In 2024, a total of 15 science communicators completed an 8-module online training course to prepare, produce, pitch and publish stories on gender-responsive agricultural solutions. The course was held between 10 September and 26 November and was rated as highly valuable (92%) by most participants with the rest rating it as valuable. - Feedback from trainees has been overwhelmingly positive, with a special emphasis on the value of having a personal mentor supporting each trainee from story idea to publication. Trainees’ self-reported skills assessment indicates significant growth in skills, particularly a notable increase in skills regarding researching a story, structuring and writing a story, and understanding and including gender aspects in a story. - As of 24 January 2025, four participants have published stories in media outlets, six have pitched their stories, three are ready to pitch their stories and another two are finalizing their stories ready to pitch. - The third GENDER storytelling training program generated new or revised outputs for the CGSpace including: 3 new training materials (Gender-responsive solutions in agriculture, Finding story ideas, Potential outlets for gender-responsive agriculture stories) and an updated 40+ page training guide. - The GENDER storytelling training program resources published on CGSpace appear to be very popular with 852 downloads of materials from the CGSpace since materials were loaded in late 2023. - With 150 people applying to participate in this workshop series, demand is very high for the training program. We recommend continuing the training in 2025 but starting the training earlier in the year (between February and July) to avoid end of year work pressures and conflicts. We also recommend incorporating face-to-face sessions (like for the second training program held in 2023), where possible.
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    Literature review: A gender analysis of climate-induced productive-water insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa
    (Report, 2024-12-30) CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform; Joshi, Deepa
    Access to water resources for productive uses is fundamental for sustaining livelihoods, food security, and the socioeconomic well-being of marginalized farmers, including women. However, women are particularly vulnerable as they struggle to access and control the water needed for their livelihoods. Variables such as social norms, gender roles, and limited participation in water governance and decision-making processes as well as historical, economic, systemic, and political factors disproportionately impact women—including regional and local political conflicts and instability, and ecological factors of water stress due to changing climate. This literature review focuses on the gendered use of water for productive use in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and aims to examine the critical links between gender, water for productive use, and livelihoods, taking account of diverse sociopolitical contexts in SSA, social and power dynamics, governance practices and structural factors, as well as emergent climate crises. This literature review was conducted using the SPIDER-D framework to guide the research process, the gender-transformative approach (GTA) as the conceptual framework, and the 3M analytical framework to assess the political, economic, institutional, and social factors impacting gendered access to water for productive uses at the macro, meso, and micro levels.
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    Storytelling about gender-responsive agricultural solutions: Training Guide
    (Training Material, 2025-01-30) Metcalfe, J.; Gascoigne, T.; Cole, S.; Stirrat, M.; Gadeberg, Marianne
    Gender equality is high on sustainable development agendas. Yet in 2020, 62 percent of all bilateral aid remained ‘gender blind’. That same year, only 1 in 10 of more than 100,000 research papers on ending hunger considered gender differences in outcomes, and investments and evaluations of gender outcomes are still sorely lacking. Despite women’s significant contributions to agri-food systems, positive stories about women’s roles are few and far between in agri-food system discussions and media coverage. Dominating narratives often cast women as victims, entrench gender stereotypes and myths, and patronize or downright misrepresent their roles and contributions. In this way, the currently dominant narratives about women’s role in agri-food systems can be perceived as counterproductive, standing in the way of progress towards inclusive, equitable agri-food systems. Historically, in many cultures, stories were told around campfires to pass on lessons about life. They were a way of passing on knowledge at a time when many people could not read or write. The stories were dramatic and memorable, to engage the listener or reader. They were often repetitive. Storytelling—long lauded as one of the most powerful communications tools for influencing perceptions and actions—can be leveraged to reverse negative gender narratives by offering a persuasive vehicle for the evidence and experiences that can help readers and viewers understand rural women’s realities. Yet, the art of storytelling is rarely used to elevate and celebrate the experiences of rural women, despite its potential to effect greater focus, funding and research in support of more gender equality. As such, there is a pressing need to collect, produce and share ‘better’ stories about women in agri-food systems and agricultural solutions that work for women. Accordingly, in 2023 and through to 2025, the CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform organized three training programs, comprised of eight 2-hour modules, conducted partly virtually and (for the second training group) partly in person for a total of 45 science communicators from CGIAR and partners (as well as journalists) from around the world on how to prepare and publish stories on agricultural technologies that work for rural women. Mentoring was an essential component of ensuring the success of the training in delivering published stories. Econnect’s mentors worked individually with participants over three months of training to help them identify a story about a gender-responsive agricultural solution, organize their interviews and field trips, draft and edit their stories, and pitch their stories appropriately to their target publications. The training was based on a Theory of Change (table 1) which broadly assumes that greater capacity for telling positive, captivating, persuasive stories about women in agri-food systems will lead to more prolific and ‘better’ stories, which in turn will instil increased regard and expectations for development of gender-responsive agricultural solutions. This training resource guide was developed as part of this storytelling training series.
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    Contributing to collective global targets for youth through CGIAR research and innovation
    (Brief, 2024-12-15) GENDER Impact Platform
    The CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform (GENDER) recognizes youth as agents of change in agrifood systems. This position is rooted in the understanding that young people—currently the largest generation in history—are pivotal in shaping social and economic development, including the future of agriculture. GENDER emphasizes the importance of investing in and enhancing the potential of youth as a vital aspect of its agricultural research for development (AR4D) initiatives. This makes youth an ongoing priority target group and a key development partner for CGIAR.
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    Situational Analysis of Science Quality of CGIAR Gender Research based on extended abstracts 2023 GENDER Conference
    (Presentation, 2024-10-01) Muchiri, Caroline; Zaremba, Haley; Lecoutere, Els
    This situational analysis evaluates the scientific quality of gender research within the CGIAR system using 61 extended abstracts submitted for the 2023 GENDER Conference. Guided by the Quality of Research for Development (Qo4RD) framework, the analysis employs a rigorous assessment tool across ten criteria, focusing on aspects like innovativeness, robustness, reliability, and implications for end-users. Findings indicate significant strengths in end-user relevance and potential for social change, while areas for improvement include external validity and intersectional approaches. The study concludes with recommendations to enhance research quality by leveraging strengths and addressing key challenges to foster more gender-equal and just agrifood systems. Presented at the GENDER science exchange, Lima, Peru 1-3 Oct 2024.
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    Rethinking climate-smart agriculture for gender equality and women’s empowerment
    (Brief, 2024-10-30) Puskur, Ranjitha; Aayushi, Malhotra
    In a situation characterized by rapid climate change and widening inequalities, gender plays a central role in determining an individual’s capacity to cope with climate shocks and adapt to changes. Faced with persistent gender gaps, which are a consequence of deeply embedded gender and social norms, women in agrarian societies continue to be challenged by lower agricultural productivity, and limited access to productive resources and services and assets. This in turn negatively affects their adaptive capacity and renders them disproportionately vulnerable. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) provides tools and technologies that can sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes, help people adapt, and build resilience to climate change while reducing or removing greenhouse gas emissions. However, women have not been able to widely benefit from CSA. Evidence on potential barriers, challenges and opportunities is thus critical to rethink how CSA can help women effectively tackle climate change and build their resilience.
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    CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform highlights 2020-24
    (Infographic, 2024-06-10) CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform
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    CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform: Annual Technical Report 2023
    (Annual Report, 2024-04) CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform
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    Agricultural value chain interventions can improve women’s incomes, assets holdings, productivity and savings
    (Brief, 2024-04-17) Malhotra, Suchi Kapoor; Masset, Edoardo
    Agricultural value chain interventions, such as market integration strategies, negotiating better prices and developing new and more pro table products are important mechanisms to increase farm incomes. While women play a critical role in agriculture, power dynamics and sociocultural norms often restrict their participation to parts of the agricultural value chain that have the least economic returns, such as agricultural labor, petty trading and subsistence farming. Evidence indicates value chain interventions are successful at improving women’s incomes, assets holdings, productivity and savings. However, this economic advancement is not enough to translate into noneconomic empowerment, such as altering gender roles and removing cultural barriers within families and communities.
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    Directrices para medir el cambio de género transformador en el contexto de la seguridad alimentaria, la nutrición y la agricultura sostenible
    (Report, 2024-01-31) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; International Fund for Agricultural Development; World Food Programme; CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform
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    Storytelling about gender-responsive agricultural solutions: Guide to structuring a news story
    (Brief, 2023-12-30) Econnect Communication
    This document is part of a larger document, Storytelling about gender-responsive agricultural solutions: Training Guide. Metcalfe, J., Gascoigne, T., Cole, S., Stirrat, M. and Gadeberg, M. 2023. Storytelling about gender-responsive agricultural solutions: Training Guide. Brisbane, Australia: Econnect Communication. Nairobi, Kenya: CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/135709
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    Storytelling about gender-responsive agricultural solutions: Training Guide
    (Brief, 2023-12-15) Metcalfe, J.; Gascoigne, T.; Cole, S.; Stirrat, M.; Gadeberg, Marianne
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    Generating Revenues and Opportunities for Women to Improve Nutrition in Ghana (GROWING) Project. Baseline Report
    (Report, 2023-09) Herforth, N.; Mohammed, I.; Temesgen, B.; Low, Jan W.
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    The workshop on Gender and Plant Health: Sharing insights from case studies
    (Report, 2023-12) International Potato Center
    Gender and Plant Health has often been seen as a very unusual combination, since two disciplines have a different epistemological orientation, use different languages, and have limited experience in working together. Over the past two years, CGIAR Plant Health Initiative has made a progress to bring natural and social scientists together to find common language and research agenda. This process has involved cultural shock and confusion, but the collective effort we put has eventually helped us to find inspiration and develop novel ideas. We agree that if plant health initiative incorporates gender perspectives in research and technology designs, interventions will be more effective and technology adoption rate will increase, contributing to overall household food security, climate resilience, and women’s empowerment. Several interdisciplinary studies have been carried out to understand women’s and men’s direct and indirect roles in plant pest and disease management, gender differences in knowledge in pest and disease identification, and/or the feasibility of decision support tools among the different types of farmers, especially women farmers. The next step was to analyse data and develop recommendations for gender-responsive interventions with more equitable and inclusive scaling approaches. This required in-person discussion with scientists and partners from various academic background to contribute from their disciplinary perspectives. To this end, the workshop was held with following specific objectives:  To share key findings and insights from field work on understanding gender and social dimensions of plant health  To exchange interdisciplinary research tools and methods to ensure gender-responsive plant-health research.  To identify and link relevant literature into research findings  To develop a draft report including literature review and recommendation Total 34 participants (23 women and 11 men, 85% natural scientists) from six research teams across 16 countries joined the workshop. A peer learning approach was employed to ensure active and inclusive participation of all attendees. Overall, the workshop was very successful with 100% satisfaction rate (92% very satisfied). The literature review was collectively conducted, and draft reports/concept notes were submitted by all six teams. In the panel discussion, participants shared their opinions of how science they had been trained was gender-blinded and how we could change this by integrating a gender lens; how a gender lens helps strengthen the link between laboratories and farmers’ fields; and how women’s work both as farmers and as scientists are embedded in gender norms and culture. During the world café, three research teams shared their research questions, methods and preliminary findings. This helped participants to find the common ideas and issues which all participants address in various countries for different crops. Participants also realized the power of interdisciplinary research that reveals women’s constraints which were previously neglected in disciplinary research. Group work included three exercises: 1) to recognize women’s important roles in plant pest and disease management, 2) to identify communication channels to improve knowledge sharing mechanisms between researchers and women farmers, and 3) to propose ideas to address constraints women face in pest and disease management. The six research teams then developed the report structure and spent time especially on the introduction section to develop a clear statement of knowledge gaps they address by linking their research into the literature. The teams also discussed recommendations for ensuring women to benefit from plant health innovations in terms of the content of technologies and approaches to introducing them to women, which were described in this workshop report. I thank all participants for their valuable contribution, CIP logistics team who provided great hospitality and care, and the Plant Health and Gender Impact Platform for their funding support to organize this workshop. This group will continue working together through Gender and Plant Health Research Network, a platform to make a difference in plant health research and interventions for equity, inclusivity, and efficiency.
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    Guidelines for measuring gender transformative change in the context of food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture
    (Report, 2023-10) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; International Fund for Agricultural Development; World Food Programme; CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform
    These Guidelines include step-by-step guidance to formulate qualitative and quantitative indicators of gender transformative change to help gender experts and food security, agriculture and nutrition programme specialists in their efforts to design, implement, monitor and evaluate gender transformative interventions. These indicators should be distinctive from and a complement to other reach, benefit and empower indicators intended to contribute to gender equality outcomes in food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture. The Guidelines also present an overarching framework for measuring gender transformative change in the context of food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture, including key dimensions and a socio-ecological model for identifying spheres of influence within which gender transformative change can be measured. Additionally, the Guidelines bring attention to other important issues to consider when to implement the framework and when to develop context-specific indicators of gender transformative change, such as the incorporation of insider perspectives and consideration to intersectional forms of discrimination.
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    GENDER resource hub
    (Presentation, 2023-02) Marianne Gadeberg