Empowering Women at the First Km Gender-Based Constraints and Opportunities for Agricultural Information

Current Situation

T he Work of Women

Constraints of Women Farmers Impacts of environmental degradation

Few Assets Land ownership Cash and marketing opportunities

Social constraints Low education levels Limited mobility

Gender relations Unequal power Patriarchy

Marginalization from extension services

Why does the current system fail women farmers? 1. Supply driven R and D systems

2. Predominance of male extension agents

3. Lack of organizational capacity for social and gender analysis Director Plant breeder AgronomistForester

4. Few female professionals with skills and power to influence organizational policies, plans and budgets.

An alternative approach: Putting women farmers at the center

by p artnering professional and rural women to achieve gender equality in agricultural systems

Strategy : Build Women Champions For organizational change for advocacy

and for decision making at all levels.

HOW : Leadership for Women Provide training for professional and rural women on: Communication skills Negotiation skills Advocacy skills Confidence building Skills for agro-enterprise

HOW: Build Men’s Support Leadership training on how to support women leaders Encouraging heads of organizations to support organizational change

HOW: Build Enabling Environments through Organizational Change Build technical capacity in gender mainstreaming and social/gender analysis

Develop professionals to act as ‘brokers’ between the organizations and rural women’s groups

Develop organizational accountability through gender policies and structures

and develop supportive organizational cultures: changing norms, values and attitudes.