1. Gender research in CSISA Phase 1
Accomplishments (2007-2012)
Presented by
Thelma Paris, Kamala Gurung, Val Pede, Joyce Luis, Abha Singh
and Donald Villanueva
Phase 2 Planning Session of Social Sciences
Activities, held in Mayfair Hotel, Bhubaneswar, India
July 11, 2012

2. Major accomplishments in India and
Bangladesh
• Developed Gender Strategy plan CSISA phase 2
• Gender Assessment study in Bangladesh - ICDDRB
• Developed Concept note submitted to USAID for CSISA Bangladesh and Nepal
• Submitted a proposal to IFPRI-ILRI – Gender, Asset in Agriculture Project (GAAP)
• Conducted studies on gender issues in rice based farming systems in CSISA India
and CSISA Bangladesh
• Conducted training activities in Bangladesh - Gender analysis in CSISA project and
Gender in Postharvest – CSISA BD
• Developed and Integrated in overal M & E framework CSISA - BD
• Organized Women’s Day in CSISA-BD
• Supported female participants to participate in “Leadership course for Asian
Women in R, D, and E”
• Trained grassroots women farmers on how to raise rice seedlings for mechanical
paddy transplanter and how to operate the machine
• Enhanced capacities of women interns
• Gender performance analysis

3. Empowering women
as entrepreneurs in
transplanting rice
Tamil Nadu, India CSISA project

4. Gender studies - CSISA Objective 6.2
• Gender roles in rice-based farming systems (EUP, Bihar,Tamil
Nadu, India) based on baseline socioeconomic surveys - V.
Pede, T.Paris, Raman Sharma, Annurag, J. Stular,
• Understanding the gendered asset distribution, access to
and control of assets and resources among rice farming
systems households in EUP under the IFPRI-ILRI project
T.Paris, V.Pede, J. Luis, A. Singh
• Consequences of labor-saving machinery on men and
women’s employment and income in EUP – T.Paris, V.
Pede, J. Luis, A.Singh and D. Villanueva

5. Key findings
• Female labor contributions are highest in Tamil
Nadu (25>60%) – varies by farm size and caste
• Despite women’s labor participation, women
have less access to education, training, key asset
eg land
• Principal males dominate in agricultural decisions
• Need to address gender-related constraints to
technology adoption

6. Female labor in rice production
Rabi season Kharif season

7. % of female participation to total labor
inputs
100
90
80
70
60
50
Kharif season
40
30
20
10
0
Small Medium Large All
Bihar, India

8. % of female participation to total labor
inputs
Rabi season Kharif season

9. Gender, Assets in Agricultural Projects
(GAAP) in CSISA
• Developed a methodology using picture of assets to complement the guide questions on
access to and control of assets of principal males and principal females
• Conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) with sixty principal males and principal females
were conducted to gather insights on gender-disaggregated access to and control of key
assets and resources and how important are these assets to men and women.
• These FGDs were conducted in CSISA (3) and non-CSISA (3) villages in Maharajganj and
Deoria districts in EUP and East Champaran district in Bihar.
• Submitted first draft and revised after receiving comments and suggestions from Ruth
Meinzen Dick (IFPRI) and Nancy Johnson (ILRI). Revision of this report is going on and will
be submitted in May.
• For Phase 2, of the GAAP project questionnaires with GAAP questions for mid-term surveys
questions were developed, pre-tested and revised in consultation with Dr. Mallick and
Raman located in the EUP hubs.
• Conducted training of enumerators in end of May, 2012
• Developed questionnaires, pre-tested questionnaires and surveys are going of 324 farming
households are going on.
• Leader of Phase 1 – Thelma Paris; Leader of phase 2 – Val Pede

10. Key Findings
• Key assets such as land, large animals are
owned by men
• Women from lower caste own small animals
• Women own jewelry received through dowry
• More women in the lower caste have access
to jobs through MNREGA
• Control of assets are dominated by husbands
•

11. Opportunities in the CSISA project to
reduce gender gaps in asset ownership
• Providing women access to improved seeds of varieties suited to their needs through PVS
• Inclusion of women in farmer-participatory experiments on crop diversification eg rice-sweet
potato, rice-legumes, rice-sunflower, rice-vegetables
• Providing women access to technical knowledge on all seeds (rice and non-rice) seed health to
produce high quality seeds (seed to seed training
• Providing women access to post production technologies to post harvest losses and provide women
with income opportunities.
• Promoting and validating technologies that enhance crop-livestock interactions e.g production of
dual purpose crops for food and animal fodder will directly benefit women who take care of crop
production and dairy animals.
• Providing women with new knowledge and skills in production techniques e.g. raising nursery rice
seedlings for paddy mechanical transplanter through “hands-on” training can be an opportunity for
income generating activities for poor women displaced by labor-saving technologies.
• Tap women’s potentials through working with Self-Help groups
• Partnership with NGOs working with farmer groups
• Link issues on changing climate, livelihoods, food security and gender roles under GRiSP
• Link with other CG partners eg IFPRI, ILRI, World Fish, ICRISAT, CIMMYT) on gender research and
leadership training course
• Test methods of data collection for women key informants and respondents and various
communication methods for eliciting women farmers’ knowledge as well as dissemination of
knowledge and technologies

12. Key findings
• Farm land is the most important asset of all
farming households.
• However, inequalities exist among farming
households in terms of size of farm holdings.
• The disparity in access to and control of resources
exist by social class and gender.
• In contrast, the marginal and small farmers have
less access to these resources.
• Men have more access to farm lands than women
due to rigid social cultural norms.

13. Key findings and implications
• There are differences in access to agricultural machinery between the upper caste
(large farm holders) and lower castes (small and marginal farm holders).
• Both upper caste and lower caste principal males and principal females with farm
lands, will benefit from RCTs which will increase the returns to land due to CSISA
technologies.
• Women do not have access to and control of agricultural machinery, with
exception of female heads of households who avail of custom hiring services for
crop production and harvesting.
• Dairy animals are owned by both principal male and principal women.
• Decisions to dispose assets e.g. farm land, house, large animals and machinery are
taken by male heads of family in all castes especially among the upper castes
households and joint households.
• However in nuclear families, decisions to use and dispose these assets are jointly
decided by the principal male and principal female. Thus, crop-livestock
technologies will directly benefit women who own or jointly own dairy animals.
• Women’s income will increase with productivity gains resulting from improved
access to animal fodder e.g. dual purpose crops

14. Consequences of mechanization on
men and women’s employment in EUP
• Completed data analysis of the research on “Consequences of
mechanization on men and women’s employment” in eastern
Uttar Pradesh.
• Data collection and analysis using mixed methods (qualitative and
quantitative) has been completed. This study was conducted in 16
villages in four districts (Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Maharajganj) and
Siddarth Nagar.
• Three hundred twenty one households (user and non-users of
machines) were interviewed. The machines used were
combine, rotavator, laser leveler, rice thresher, reaper, transplanter
and zero till machine.
• Factors which influence the adoption of labor- saving technologies
are being examined using econometric methods.
• Results of this study are currently being written for publication

15. Key Findings and Implications
• Transport means such as bicycle, motorcycle, and
formal sources of loan/credit/ATM Card are
normally owned and managed by male
heads/other males/sons.
• However, women especially young girls are
increasingly owning their bicycle due to
government schemes to educate more girls.
• A high proportion of males own cellular phones
but are used more for entertainment rather then
for agriculture-related information

16. Gender-disaggregated variables in
CSISA baseline surveys analyzed
• Labor allocation of male and female members
in rice production
• Access to land, training
• Participation of women in agriculture related
decisions
• Participation of women in allocation of budget
for different household expenditures

17. Key findings and implications
• Small livestock (goats) and jewelry (gold and silver) are the few
assets women own.
• Women have control over these earnings.
• Men more than women have access to higher
education, participation in technical training and extension
activities and social capital.
• Women from the lower castes consider their labor and long term
farming experience as their important asset.
• Working as laborers in other farms provides a source of security
(food and nutrition) and livelihoods.
• Women more than men have preferential treatment in terms of
employment in MNREGA which gives assurance of cash income.
• Among the lower castes, especially the women, human capital
(access to education, technical training) and social

18. CSISA Bangladesh
• Enhanced the capacity of women in rice post-harvest activities through
community based demonstrations on rice seed selection and storage
technique (where at least 50% women were trained), demonstrations on
proper rice seed storage techniques (56 demos out 300 planned
demonstrations in the second year wherein 100% of all participants are
women).
• Hermetic super bags and mechanical dryers of paddy were demonstrated
by IRRI.
• The Whole-family training (including women farmers) approach on rice
production and post-harvest technologies was used. Out of the 1581
farmers who participated in the training activities on rice production and
post-harvest technologies, 25% were women and the rest were men.
• This training course combined crop management and post-harvest
technologies. .

19. CSISA - India
• Developed a Gender Strategy Plan for Phase
2 – T.Paris and K. Gurung
• Submitted a concept note “ Promoting
household food security in Bangladesh and
Nepal” by enhancing women’s capacity in the
rice postharvest value chain”. PI-. T. Paris; Co
PI – Alfred Schmidley; Co-PI- K.Gurung

20. Identified interventions (household based pond aquaculture
and horticulture production) for poor and marginal women in
Bangladesh
• Two interventions were identified by WF and CIMMYT to improved women’s
income and nutrition of family members.
- These are small pond aquaculture and horticulture production- related activities.
These interventions are designed to target women from poor and marginal
farming households so that they can earn their own income and provide nutritious
food for their family. These interventions are: community based participatory
demonstrations on household based pond aquaculture (polyculture of nutrient
rich small fish with carp and/or tilapia) and high value horticulture.
• Participatory demonstration trials on the production of sweet flesh sweet potato
production were conducted wherein 572 women farmers participated. They grew
three types of orange flesh sweet potato vine in 1.52 ha.
• Other planned activities are: a) Summer tomato production in household area
(With CIMMYT) b) conduct training on household- based pond aquaculture
(polyculture of nutrient rich small fish with carp and/or tilapia) and high- value
horticulture
•

21. .Awarded women farmers during the
International Women’s Day.
• Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) Project in Bangladesh also
celebrated the International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8th, 2012 with the
slogan: ‘Unite with us!.....for improvement of household food security. The
celebration was organized to recognize and honor the contribution of women
farmers in household food security through increased agricultural production. The
IWD was organized in three hub-venues of CSISA-BD project with six hubs: Barisal
(included Faridpur hub), Jessore (included Khulna hub) and Mymensingh (included
Rangpur hub) hubs. On this occasion, a total of 30 women farmers and 5 women
farmer’s groups involved with CSISA-Bangladesh project were nominated from six
hubs of the three CG Centers. All were awarded prizes in kinds which generate
income and each item selected by themselves. The prizes included sewing
machine, baby cow, low lift pump, paddle thresher, rechargeable flash torch light
etc. Besides, two local organizations of CSISA-Bangladesh project from each of
three hub-venues were also awarded for their contribution to the women
development in agriculture sector. Secondly, a twenty five minutes video
documentary was shown during the occasion, which was prepared in particular for
this event by highlighting the contribution of CSISA-Bangladesh project to the
women farmers. Besides, the IWD was also celebrated at IRRI Bangladesh office.

22. Workshop on “Gender integration in postharvest as
micro-enterprise models: Basic concepts, tools and
next steps
• Held a one day workshop on “Gender integration in postharvest as
micro-enterprise models: Basic concepts, tools and next steps. CSISA
Project in Bangladesh held a day-long workshop and planning meeting on
“Postharvest Business Models: Basic Concepts, Tools, and Next Steps” in
18 April 2012. The main goal of this workshop was to introduce micro
enterprise and also business model approach with basic tools for analyzing
and piloting postharvest technologies selection in an enterprise context
for learning and verification. Topics on gender issues in rice-based post
harvest activities were presented by Kamala Gurung.
• The outcomes of the workshop were: a) presentation of initial findings
and proposed entry points for integration of gender in improved
postharvest technologies and management options; b) introduction of
micro enterprise as a business model approach with basic tools for
analyzing and piloting selected postharvest technologies; c) identification
with potential partners of future plans including resources needed.
•

23. Completed surveys on “Dynamics of Gender, Equity and
Household Food Security in Changing Rice-based Agricultural
Systems in Bangladesh”.
• Ten villages were selected from 3 districts (Mymensingh, Khulna and
Sathkhira) and 3 villages in each district for this research. In the case of
Mymensingh, one additional village is included from the earlier case study
site. The villages were selected in terms of the dominant farming system in
the villages.
• Among them, 3 villages with mostly rice farming systems are the control
villages while the 7 villages which are mostly by commercial
fish/shrimp/prawn farming systems are the experimental villages.
• Data were gathered using mixed qualitative and quantitative methods.
Surveys of 400 households are completed. Data entry is going on.
• A poster on this topic was presented by KGurung at the Global Conference
on Women in Agriculture (GCWA) held in New Delhi, India in March 13-
15, 2012. This project is being conducted by Kamala Gurung, Thelma
Paris, Sam Mohanty and Humnath Bhandari.
•
•

24. Incorporated “Gender Indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation Framework”
in overall CSISA M & E Systems
• . Gender indicators for M & E have been
developed for GRiSP strategy in 2011-2013.
• These indicators are now incorporated in the
overall CSISA-Bangladesh in consultation with an
M & E expert based in Bangladesh with the full
support of the COP of USAID-IRRI based in
Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• CSISA-Bangladesh involves three CG Centers
(WF, CIMMYT and IRRI). These indicators were
developed by Kamala Gurung and Thelma Paris
•

25. Major accomplishments in India and
Bangladesh
• Development of Gender strategy plan for CSISA phase
2 based on donors comments and suggestions
• Development of Concept note submitted to USAID for
CSISA Bangladesh and Nepal
• Gender studies in CSISA India and CSISA Bangladesh
• Capacity enhancement – Gender analysis in CSISA
project and Gender in Postharvest - CSISA BD
• Monitoring and evaluation in CSISA - BD
• International Women Day in CSISA-BD

26. Gender studies - CSISA phase 2 plans
Thelma Paris, Val Pede, Kamala Gurung, Sam
Mohanty, Annand Kumar

27. Developed a Gender Strategy for CSISA
Phase 2 (Mainstreaming gender concerns)
• Objective 1 Widespread dissemination of
production and postharvest technologies to
increase cereal production, resource efficiency
and income;
• Objective 2 - Crop and resource management
practices for future cereal-based systems;
• Objective 5 - Improved policies for inclusive
agricultural growth;
• Objective 6 (Project
management, communication, monitoring and
evaluation)

28. Gender analysis (constraints and
opportunities) assessment
1.1.1 Establishing operating modalities for newly prioritized hubs
in EI – 6/12/12
Activity: Identification and prioritization of key gender-
differentiated problems which limit system productivity in
each hub
1.1.2 Establishing strategies for consolidating progress in
transition hubs -10/2012
Activity: Conduct a systematic ex-post performance review of
CSISA promoted technologies among men and women
farmers to determine which partners and support – are
required to accelerate progress with the most promising
innovations – eg mechanical paddy transplanter in Tamil Nadu

29. Validation and evaluation of technologies
with women farmers
1.1.2 Prioritized technologies are tested and improved to
match needs of farmers
1.2.1.2 At least 5 of the 25 participatory experiments will be
jointly managed with women farmers (IRRI-WF-ILRI) -
1.2.1.4 Design research trials on improved crop rotation and
agronomic practices which meet women’s production
needs - TBD
1.2.1.6 Evaluate the principal gender-differentiated causes of
postharvest cereal losses in each hub-12/2012
1.2.1.7 Conduct performance assessment of improved
postharvest technologies with men and women – 12/2012

30. Gender-differentiated impact
assessment
6.2 Labor, gender, assets and migration
6.2.1 Assessment of the effects of labor saving
technologies on access to and control of key
assets and resources among men and women
farmes and ag workers in selected villages within
CSISA’ project are in India, Nepal and Bangladesh
6.2.2. Assessment of the gender-specific labor
savings afforded by a specific CSISA – sponsored
technology such as LL. ZT wheat or DSR

31. Capacity enhancement
1.5 .1 Capacity development for CSISA staff and
partners to accelerate impacts at scale with
farmers
1.5.1.1 Build capacity of CSISA staff to backstop
core activities on socio-economic analysis
including gender analysis
1.5.1.3 Organize women’s leadership course for
each year based on need assessment of
partners

32. Leadership Course for
Asian and
African Women
in Agriculture R & D and
Extension
2005-
160 women participants (2002-2010)
Participants - NARES and IRRI outreach offices (26
countries)
Resource persons – IRRI scientists, resource
persons from Training Center and IRRI Human
Resource and from Management
Organized by Dr. TParis, SSD and Noel Magor, IRRI,
Training Center

33. Testing methods of collecting gender-
differentiated information
• Use of pictures of assets vs questionnaire only
for eliciting information from men and women
• Use of pictures/visual aids for increasing
women’s knowledge on seed
health, IPM, INM, IWM

34. Testing models for entrepreneurial
models
1.3.3 Business models for the provision of
technologies and services
1.3.3.2 Encourage and support
entrepreneurs, including women, to develop
businesses around key technologies for increasing
the productivity and sustainability of cereal
systems in SA – 7/2013;7/2014
COP, A. Kumar, T. Paris, K.Gurung