Humidtropics conference

1. Gender integration in agricultural
innovation systems research,
CGIAR experiences
Silvia Sarapura-Escobar, AAS, WorldFish
Conference on Integrated Systems Research for Sustainable
Intensification in Smallholder Agriculture
March 4, 2015 Ibadan, Nigeria

2. Outline
1. Introduction
2. Core question: Does GAD inform innovations systems in
agriculture?
3. Case studies:
• AAS Research in Development Approach, WorldFish
• Papa Andina Initiative, International Potato Center
4. Challenges to integrate gender in agricultural innovation
systems
5. Towards improved policy and practices

3. Introduction
• Agricultural systems and relations complex (Ekboir et al 2009).
• New patterns are needed for interaction between scientists and
expanding range of actors, markets and policies in which social
and economic processes are embedded (Hall 2008).
• Knowledge to generate innovations (Asenso-Okyere et al 2008)is
needed and operationalized in stakeholders’ own contexts in
ways that are suited to own goals (Hall A 2007) and needs.

4. • Gender relations and roles across scales play crucial role
in the success of efforts to harmonize agricultural
innovation and foster social equity of all actors involved
in agriculture (Sarapura 2009).
• Addressing gender in agricultural innovation is dealing
with unequal power relations and embedded roles often
legitimized by strong socio-cultural traditions, beliefs
(Lewis 2004) and norms.
• Ignoring these aspects results in incomplete and or
biased research are produced, which leads to
formulation of incomplete policies (Feldman 1995).

5. Continuum of Gender and Systems R4D in
Agriculture
ToT
Early Farming
Systems Research
Agricultural
knowledge and
information
systems
Agricultural
Innovation
Systems
Women in
development
Women and
Developmen
t
Gender and
Developmen
t
GAD -> Social
and [Gender]
Transformative
Change????

6. Core Question: Does GAD inform innovations systems in
agriculture?
The Root of the Problem: Unsolved issues in gender influence unequal access
and control of resources.
• Gender Relations
• Gender Roles and
Responsibilities
• Knowledge Base
• Participation in decision-
making processes
• Gender differences in
power and knowledge=
• Capacity development and
learning
• Governance - Informal and
formal organizations
• Monitoring and evaluation
progress
• Information and communication
technologies
• Social processes intersected
with other differentiators (
culture, religion, race, ethnicity,
age, etc).
• Inclusive and representative
policies
GAPs

7. PAPA ANDINA
INITIATIVE

8. Approaches to innovation
processes
Participatory Market Chain
Approach
Multi -stakeholders Platforms
InHorizontal evaluations
What has changed?
Innovation in various forms
•Innovation capacity
•Learning capacity
•Social innovation
Institutional Changes
•Chef-peasant alliance
•Mistura – Agri-food Fair
Strengthened
•Collective action
•Knowledge sharing
•New forms of learning

9. Papa Andina Initiative
Phases of the
Participatory research,
Gender Assessment and
Related Activities in
Each Phase
Overall Activity Gender - related Assessment and Activity
Stakeholder Identified
Phase I:
2-4 Months
 Get to know the market chain actors and
other stakeholders - their activities, interests,
ideas and problems and so forth.
 Step 1: Conduct a 3- to 6-week rapid
assessment of the market chain and identify
key stakeholders.
 Step 2: Hold a one-day workshop to define
impact groups using the impact filter.
 Step 3: Hold a final event for phase 1 to share
information and secure stakeholders’
continued involvement.
 Includes gender sensitivity training as stakeholder
identification activities begin.
 Includes women farmers as stakeholders in the rapid
assessment of the market chain. R&D partners, including
investors, reinforce the need to address women’s specific
needs in PMCA.
 Initiates family and community competitions for
innovation and recognizes women’s contribution to the
value chain
 Identifies male and female leaders who support gender
equity and empowerment; encourages them to highlight
or discuss issues and benefits for women farmers in
workshop events.
Stakeholder platforms
engaged
Phase 2:
3–5 months
 In a participatory manner, analyze potential
business opportunities; work in thematic
groups of 10–20 persons; establish new
stakeholder platforms or strengthen existing
stakeholder platforms; R&D organization
involved provides facilitator to assist groups.
 Using the following tools, each thematic
group analyzes potential business
 Platforms bring together female and male small-scale
farmers from different communities in the region, market
agents, and agricultural service providers to share
findings and customs, with support from R&D
institutions. Many of these stakeholders will be
unfamiliar to each other.
 Identifies and involves KEY Partners familiar in related
gender analysis and women’s empowerment.

10. Phases of the
Participatory research,
Gender Assessment and
Related Activities in
Each Phase
Overall Activity Gender - related Assessment and Activity
Implementation of joint
market innovations
Phase 3:
4–6 months
 Implement joint market innovations: work in
thematic groups of 10–20 persons; R&D
organization involved provides facilitator to
assist groups.
 Each thematic group uses marketing concept
development and business plan to test or
implement, monitor, and evaluate their
innovations. If necessary, phase 2 activities
can be revised (for instance, by adding focus
groups to clarify consumer preferences).
 Iterative processes to analyze knowledge sharing and
gender roles and relations within the stakeholder
platforms for further technical and institutional innovation
at the national regional and chain levels.
 Women and men continue to participate share knowledge
and stimulate participation in stakeholder platforms.
 R&D partners monitor/evaluate gender related advances
in new and extended networks.
 R&D partners monitor/evaluate how male and female
farmers have gained individual and collective capacities
and skills for communication, negotiation, facilitation, and
teamwork.
 Encourages discussions within the project on how market
chains empower disadvantaged farmers who otherwise
have little opportunity to participate and make decisions in
own communities.
 – Encourages ongoing discussion within the project on
how women have the chance to interact with other market
chain actors and professionals from R&D organizations,
thereby increasing their access to knowledge, innovation,
contacts, and self- development.

12. CGIAR RESEARCH PROGRAM ON
AQUATIC AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS

13. Mechanism for Innovation
Processes: RinD Approach
What has been done so far
Three Scaling Pathways
• Scaling out and up (SP1)
•Socio‐ ecological transformation
in hubs (SP2)
•Changing the RD paradigm (SP3)
Theories of Change
•Outcome evidencing
Social and gender integral part to other
themes deserving explicit analytical
attention.
Gender and social aspects identified in
nested theory of change per initiatives
(IDOs, HDCs)
Pathway 3
National , regional and global scaling
Pathway 2
Focus on hubs: transforming enabling
conditions
Pathway 1
Focus on hubs: direct engagement
with communities and partners

14. Gender Transformative Research in Development
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning
Framework, Indicators and Tools
Development
Embed into overall M&E framework for
the hub (incl outcome evidencing)
Research Design
Benchmarking Study
GTRinD Toolkits
Development
Develop Suite of Transformative
Change Interventions
•Household Approaches
•Behavior Change Communications
(Drama/Radio etc)
Gender integrated in RinD Initiatives in
the Hub
•Participatory Action Research (PAR)
•Value chains
•Natural resource management
Gender Capacity
Development
Outcomes and
Knowledge & Learning
Captured
Gender Coalitions
Hub and National
Levels
Knowledge, learning
and experience
sharing
Scaling up/out
To inform
Gender Capacity
Development
Science and
Communication
Outputs
•Gender integrated
•Strategic gender
Toinform

15. Challenges to Gender Integration
in AIS
– Time; medium and long term processes
– Responding to donors expectations
– Context specific factors (culture, religion, race)
–Capacity, knowledge, skills, behaviors and
practices

17. • Research and engagement suggest gender transformative policy.
• Advocate for policy and legislative change that supports equitable social
systems.
• Engage in critical awareness of gender roles and norms in the hubs..
• Address the system and structural levels, not solely the individual or
organization.
• Work with men to improve gender equity, leading to better outcomes
• for both women and men and disadvantaged groups.
• · Consider how women and men adjust to and use redefined GTAs through
monitoring and evaluation processes.

18. Thank you