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A "gender-transformative approach" to markets is needed
The persistence of gender disparities in resources, markets and technology, even after decades of research and interventions, calls for a “gender transformative approach,” said Paula Kantor, WorldFish senior gender scientist and a keynote speaker at the 12th Asian Maize Conference.
“Gender transformative” approaches address the underlying causes of gender inequality to facilitate the sustained achievement of positive agricultural development outcomes. These approaches also mean fostering community-led changes in unequal gender relations to promote shared power, control of resources and decision-making, topics that will be under discussion at the conference from October 30 to November 1 in Bangkok.
For example, the Hill Maize Research Project (HMRP), which is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and implemented by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), takes a proactive approach to ensure a high degree of participation by women and disadvantaged groups in all its activities.
A women’s cooperative was formed in 2007 when three women from a hill community in Nepal decided to organize themselves. “Out of the maize we used to plant, we did not even get to eat half, mainly due to insect pests,” said a member of the cooperative. “So we would work in other people’s fields while our own fields turned fallow.”
Maize is a vital crop in the hills of Nepal, particularly among poor families and disadvantaged groups. About 78 percent of Nepal’s maize is grown in hilly areas, chiefly by small-scale, resource-poor farmers. However, their limited access to improved seeds, new technologies and market information has resulted in low maize productivity and quality.
HMRP has helped women – whether of the dalit caste or Janajati (indigenous to Nepal) – become the main beneficiaries of the project. Through the program, they receive training in new methods to plant and grow maize, participate in research trials and have started community-based seed production (CBSP) groups.
HMRP has also introduced a number of farming systems and technologies to reduce women’s drudgery. These include seed grading and shelling machines, power tillers and intercropping of maize with ginger, tomatoes and soybeans.
In negotiations with seed companies, the project has advocated giving the first priority for contracts to women’s groups and groups with a significant number of members from disadvantaged segments of society, proactively seeking a change in gendered practices among private sector actors.
HMRP’s joint focus on technology transfer and social inclusion has led to a series of positive outcomes, including greater access to agricultural technologies, knowledge and extension services for women, and greater recognition of women as farmers and local leaders in the project areas. Some women also reported increased maize yield and income, leading to greater financial independence and decision-making power in the household.
Beyond the household, members of women-only CBSP groups, in particular, reported having greater bargaining power with seed traders. Some women’s groups have successfully demanded specific services (such as training in vegetable production), from their District Agriculture Development Offices (DADOs) and financial support for their seed storage from the district development committee.
Kantor said that if successful, gender transformative approaches will help expand the range and quality of livelihood choices for women and men, including changes in their roles, responsibilities and voices within households, markets and communities.
These changes will lead to shared decision-making in communities, greater equality between men and women and more lasting improvements in agricultural productivity and food security.
The 12th Asian Maize Conference,organized by APAARI, CIMMYT, FAO and the Thai Department of Agriculture, takes place October 30 to November 1.
