Farming for impact - a case study of smallholder agriculture in Rwanda

This case study demonstrates that with targeted support and favourable policy conditions, resource-poor farmers can increase their productivity and contribute to hunger and poverty reduction goals. Findings indicate that the Government of Rwanda (GoR) has invested in smallholder farming and as a result, agricultural productivity and output has increased in the country. These increases have partially insulated Rwanda from food price spikes in East Africa and led to general food availability increasing in the country

Executive summary of final evaluation: ActionAid women’s right to land

The Women’s Rights to Land (WRL) programme aimed to support women’s movements from marginalised communities, including indigenous women in Guatemala, Dalit women in India, and women living with HIV/AIDS in Sierra Leone, to improve their access and control over land. Theprogramme ran from November 2010 to October 2013 and was funded by the European Commission (EC). ActionAid commissioned the Natural Resources Institute to conduct a final evaluation of the programme, the results of which are presented in this summary report

A crop of one's own? Women’s experiences of cassava commercialization in Nigeria and Malawi

Improving the effectiveness of agricultural markets for economic growth and poverty reduction has been a central focus for development initiatives, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Staple crops with low input requirements and drought tolerance, such as cassava, are being promoted for market development due to their accessibility for poor smallholder farmers. Narratives often equate commercialization of cassava to benefits for women, as cassava is commonly labelled a ‘women’s crop’. However, little is known about whether or how women can engage with new cassava commercial opportunities and the livelihood outcomes from this, particularly given the importance of cassava for food security. Findings from fieldwork in Nigeria and Malawi identify cassava value chains that offer different opportunities and challenges for women, which are often overlooked in agricultural development narratives. Women can gainfully participate in new commercial cassava opportunities while maintaining, if not increasing, food security. However, this is highly dependent on gender norms and household relations. Greater attention is required to these more difficult aspects of gender analysis in development projects to ensure women’s integration and benefit from agricultural market

Synthesis of thematic papers from the series ‘Women’s empowerment in the drylands

Women’s land rights and their importance for women’s empowerment and wider development goals have gained increased attention in recent years. However, gender inequality in land rights in dryland countries and across the developing world more broadly remains pervasive. This is related to discriminatory socio-cultural norms that are found in customary and statutory institutions and practices that differ according to local contexts. In addition, women often lack representation and the authority to make decisions in land management and governance. Against this backdrop, the UNDP Global Policy Centre on Resilient Ecosystems and Desertification (GPC-Nairobi) and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) have commissioned three new studies exploring the issues of gender justice with respect to dryland land rights, governance and resilience

Gender and climate-resilient agriculture: a review of practical resources in support of gender-transformative change. CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform Working Paper #018

To advance the use of gender-transformative approaches in climate-resilient agriculture (CRA), a review of practical resources that could support researchers and practitioners in applying gender and CRA was undertaken. The review consolidates and assesses diverse, practical resources—including research tools, methods and broader guidance—that aim to address gender inequalities/inequities, climate and agriculture, albeit to varying degrees. A conceptual framework was developed to guide the review, which helped to establish the gender dimensions of climate-resilience processes, and then to assess how the practical resources addressed these dimensions. The types of practical resources identified as critically important for climate resilience are as follows: (1) anticipatory, foresight and scenarios; (2) context and enabling environment; (3) causes and patterns of vulnerability and resilience; (4) CRA agricultural innovation systems; (5) CRA practices, technologies, innovations and services; (6) appraisal of spe

Gender and drylands governance: Empowering women for change

Thematic study 2: Gender and drylands governance: empowering women for change found that significant opportunities exist for facilitating dryland women's empowerment in governance, in the context of wider support for processes seeking greater democracy in dryland governance and values. There is a need to tackle the inadequate representation and recognition of women’s rights in the drylands, and to consider the redistribution of resources to more equitable ends. Effective channels that can be used to support gender justice are increased investment in dryland governance, building upon contemporary trends in the drylands towards democratization and decentralization, supporting current processes for greater dryland citizen engagement and ownership, and opening up new spaces for participation of women in dryland governance specifically