Efforts to Mainstream Gender in EIAR -SARD-SC Wheat Project

EIAR

Rehima Mussema, East-West African Lowlands Traveling and

Gender WorkshopMarch 3–4, Sudan, Khartoum

Introduction• There are about 4.6 million farm households (36%

cereal farm HHs) who are directly dependent on wheat farming in Ethiopia (Bekele, et al, 2014).

• However given the low productivity of traditional varieties, Ethiopia imports significant quantities, especially in drought years when deficits are large.

• expand the availability of modern wheat varieties for farmers (Governmental and Donors –SARD-SC)

SARD-SC Wheat Project IP sites in Ethiopia

Introduction…….

General Objective:• To enhance wheat productivity and production to increase food

security, economic growth and to alleviate poverty in Africa

Objectives: to

• Increase on-farm wheat productivity and production for food security and

• Reduce wheat importation from other continents

EIAR, RARIs, Technical staff (breeders, socio-economist, seed specialists, extension workers. experts, DA) and Small holder, Farmers (M,F, youth), input suppliers, MFI, processors, and others

Beneficiaries- Small holder farmers and others

Over view of gender mainstreaming (GM) in the NARS

The Government has given special focus to address gender inequality

and economic empowerment of women

Agricultural research institutes is therefore expected to contribute to

this initiative by providing guidance, technical advice, and information

through forming strong collaboration with the MoA and other SHs.

This strategy is thus, prepared to assist agricultural research institutes

to internalize gender aspect into their research and development

activities.

• Gender related activities in NARS were underway since mid-1990s

• However, formal GM aspect was started during the first sensitization workshop (Oct. 1999) at the former EARO/ - EIAR.

to begin a firm foundation for the introduction of gender concerns in to the NARS – to make GSR/GRR

to create gender awareness among researchers/other staff

• A GFU was established under the REFLD in 2003, to do need assessment, behavior identification, and facilitating participatory and farmers led research and technology transfer activities among farmers (men and women)

• .

Gender mainstreaming status in EIAR

• to fulfill the institutional and national expectations necessitate for the unit to stand independent in October 2006 ,

• The unit is given the position of GRCO and officially mandated to coordinate and facilitate gender related activities in the research system as of Dec 2009.

• Currently Gender research is restructured and merged with socio-economic department of the Institute

• In line with GM trend in EIAR, SARD-SC did the following activity to address Gender issue:

GM status…..

Efforts to address gender issues In SARD-SC

1. ToT April 24- 26 2014, 52 (9F- 15%), DAs, experts -from 6 IP sites

• The representation of women in agriculture (research and development) is important for two major reasons:

A. to account for the reality of women farmers’ lives and give priority to address rural women need that benefit from agricultural research output and rural development, and

B. to reach gender balance in R & D system and development.

• Aalto University (2013) reported that in communication, people who share similar characteristics have common meanings and therefore understand each other better.

• Therefore women trainers/representative are better off in communicating with women farmers, especially women who are private from men.

Efforts….2. Training

• from 6 IP sites

1993 farmers (166F-8%) and 64 DAs (15 F -23%) trained by ToT

• Technical Staff Training-On Wheat Variety Maintenance and Quality Seed Production given to

37 (6 F -16%) breeders, seed specialists, extension workers

Farmers Training

Efforts …..

IP districts Seed(t) No. of farmers Male/Female HH

Sinana 21.0 562/12

Gololcha 20.0 494/16

Enemay 7.8 215/6

Shebelberenta 4.5 114/5

Gedabano 18.0 495/10

Ofla 18.0 447/18

Total 89.3 2327/67 F (3%)

3. Seeds distributed for demos in 6 IP

About 11 farmers who are involved in on-farm seed multiplication.

Effort….4. Five field days conducted, 2358 farmers (215 - 9%)

5. Performance inventory - 60 champion farmers selected for their excellence in wheat management and production

30 farmers amalgamated their wheat farm and formed a union

Productivity: Productivity: Demos: Demos: 5.0-5.5 t/ha, Farmers: 2.0-2.5 t/ha5.0-5.5 t/ha, Farmers: 2.0-2.5 t/ha

6. Other real breakthrough:

helpless & vulnerable farmers, and youth got support from SARD-SC (seed) and MF (credit) results wonderful wheat production by youths in Shebelberenta

GM challenges

• Low participation of women farmers in all project cycle and demos (lack of resources, education, skill, gender role, )

• Women farmers lack getting benefits equal to men from the interventions due to resource access

• Limitation of skill/knowledge/capacity/ of GM, gender analysis and using participatory approach of technical staff (DA, researchers, etc)

• Gender training is not considered as part of other training

• Lack of sex disaggregated data on productivity, land allocation, production, etc

Lessons Learned for integrating Gender in Wheat Based Project

• lessons learnt are generated in sex disaggregated data and gender analysis will provide feedback to the programmatic learning processes that important to:

1. create accountability to increase participation of women at all level of implementations and

2. the next design of SARD-SC to identify gender differential in production, productivity, etc., that my need gender specific intervention.

The lesson learned from these experiences is that to encourage representation of women of this project that needs capacity building through short term training and give reward to whom contribute to a positive change of women life.

New Life and Success through Adopting Agricultural Technologies

• Ehete is 42 years, 12 grade, six children, husband was accountant,

• Previously engaged in traditional and not successful and insufficient to teach children and to cover living

• She together with her family be able to become fruitful using technologies

• Initial 4 onion (114 Qt=16,000 Birr), 6 tomato, 3 pepper varieties

• During the M & E she was successful equally as other men

• FRG, in 2008 vegetable seed production particularly onion seed multiplication

• poultry production and fishery technologies, introduced with dairy technology

• She again participated papaya and coffee seedling multiplication and used maize variety and modern bee hive

• To reduce household chores, employ labour, buy stove

Thank You!!!