Compendium of partners for scaling gender and social inclusion

To scale gender and social inclusive climate-smart agriculture (CSA), current and potential collaborative partners will need to address gender norms. In an effort to identify these partners, the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security’s Gender and Social Inclusion and Climate Services Flagship supported the collection of information about potential scaling partners, including government agencies, research institutes, NGOs, and women’s and civil society organisations at the global, regional, national, and sub-national levels in CCAFS countries. This report includes a compilation of major themes from across CCAFS regions and countries, detailed information about region-specific organisations, including their existing or potential role to scale CSA. Additionally, successful models, where organizations have benefitted or made the effort to reach out to both men and women equally at a larger scale, are highlighted. Finally, this report features organisational contact information

Understanding gendered trait preferences: Implications for client-responsive breeding programs

Open Access Article; Published online: 30 Aug 2022Client-responsiveness is a foundation for effectiveness of public sector breeding programs in agriculture, aquaculture and livestock. However, there remains a considerable lack of clarity about what this means, specifically in terms of how programs can be gender-responsive. This study contributes to addressing that need. It does so through sharing higher-level insights emerging from the combined experiences of eight gendered trait preference cases from across nine countries in Asia and Africa. The cases spanned crops, fish and livestock. This study inquires into the nature of gendered trait preference information that can be generated, if there are systematic gendered preference differences and how to understand these, and implications for breeding programs seeking to be more gender-responsive. Key findings include that while not all data are immediately usable by programs, the information that is generated through mixed method, intersectional gender preference assessments usefully deepens and widens programs’ knowledge. The study evidences differences in trait preferences between women and men. It also reveals that these differences are more complex than previously thought. In doing so, it challenges binary or homogenous models of preferences, suggesting instead that preferences are likely to be overlapping and nuanced. The study applies a novel ‘Three models of gendered trait preferences’ framework and sub-framework and finds these useful in that they challenge misconceptions and enable a needed analytical nuance to inform gender-responsive breeding programs. Finally, the study highlights implications and offers a call to action for gender-responsive breeding, proposing ways forward for public breeding programs, teams and funding agencies. These include investments in interdisciplinary capabilities and considerations for navigating trade-offs while orienting to sustainable development goals

Socio-Economic Impact of the Mobile Phone based Agricultural Extension

The content of the book comprises of country chapters on mobile phone applications for agricultural extension from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe along with chapters on global review on m-agriculture initiatives, content generation process and socio-economic impact of mobile phone based agro-advisory services. This book delves into the development of mobile phone based agro-advisory and their content, delivery mode, business model and utility and provides an insight into the evolution of mobile phones as an extension tool in different countries across the globe. The book will provide valuable insights on m-agriculture initiatives for agricultural extension around the world to agricultural students, extension professionals, researchers and policy makers both for understanding them and working on them. The lessons from the m-agriculture initiatives can guide the mode of implementation and evolution of mobile based advisory services in agriculture

How Mobile Phones Contribute to Growth of Small Farmers? Evidence from India

Rapid growth of mobile telephony and the introduction of mobile-enabled information services provide ways to improve information dissemination to the knowledge intensive agriculture sector and also helps to overcome information asymmetry existing among the group of farmers. It also helps, at least partially, to bridge the gap between the availability and delivery of agricultural inputs and agriculture infrastructure. This paper explores further on this topic and provides evidence to show how mobile phones and mobile-enabled agricultural services have impacted the farmers. As mobile penetration continues to increase among farming communities and information services and to adapt and proliferate, the scope exists for a much greater rural productivity impact in the future. To leverage the full potential of information dissemination enabled by mobile telephony along with supporting infrastructure and capacity building amongst farmers it is essential to ensure the quality of information, its timeliness and trustworthiness

The Role of Gender, Risk, and Time Preferences in Farmers' Rice Variety Selection in Eastern India

Using data from 5,601 rice farmers in Eastern India, this study examined the role of gender, risk, and time preferences in farmers' rice variety selection in Eastern India. The determinants of the following were estimated: farmers’ rice variety selection according to variety type (i.e., modern [non-hybrid], stress-tolerant, hybrid, and traditional), and farmers’ main reasons (i.e., yield potential, taste/cooking quality, marketability/affordability, and stress tolerance) for choosing a rice variety. A multivariate probit model was employed to identify the factors that influence farmers’ decision-making, since some farmers choose to mix rice varieties from multiple categories. The results revealed that female farmers, who are more risk-averse, usually choose rice varieties based on cooking quality (e.g., good taste, high cooking quality, and good straw quality) and stress tolerance. They are less likely to select hybrid rice, and also less likely to base their decision on market-oriented reasons, compared to male farmers. Certain rice varieties released many decades ago remain popular among farmers because of multiple preferred attributes. The preference model is useful in understanding why some varieties are more popular than others, among female and male farmers

Farmers coping strategies for climate shock: Is it differentiated by gender?

Several studies have recognized that the agriculture sector is one of the major contributor to climate change, as well as largely affected adversely by climate change. Agricultural productivity is known to be sensitive to climate change induced effects and it has impact on livelihood of families linked with farming. Thus it is important to understand what are the existing coping strategies that farmer deploy in case of climate shocks like flood and drought and who is involved in making decision relating to these coping strategies. This paper uses the household level data of 641 households from 12 randomly selected villages in Vaishali district of Bihar to understand the household coping mechanisms with emphasis on role of gender. This study has moved away from the conventional division of households by male and female-headed households and thus capturing the intra-household gender dynamics by understanding the role of men and women within the household as decision makers of the coping strategy to manage climate shock. The study uses a multivariate probit model and the results suggest that there is a higher probability that the male farmers will make the decision on choice of the coping strategy. The most prominent coping mechanism is to find alternative employment in urban locations; however, when consumption levels have to be reduced because of climate shock, all family members then contribute to the decision-making process collectively. The results show that exposure to agriculture extension and training programs have a positive influence on choosing appropriate coping mechanisms, but female farmers have poor access to these resources. These policies should look into providing outreach to both male and female farmers in any given locality

Coping with Climate Stress in Eastern India: Farmers’ Adoption of Stress-Tolerant Rice Varieties

Cultivating stress-tolerant rice varieties (STRVs) is widely cited as a strategy of rice farmers to cope with climate-induced stresses. In India, dissemination of STRVs started in 2008 through international development initiatives, but only 5 percent of farmers have adopted it after seven years. Using a double-hurdle model, this study estimated the factors influencing simultaneous decisions on land selection and allocation for cultivating STRVs. It developed a framework for assessing the risks faced by farm households due to adverse climatic conditions vis-à-vis the decision to adopt STRVs. Results show that perceived and actual experiences of climate stress are important parameters influencing the decision to adopt STRVs. Farmers who have adopted such varieties are more likely to cultivate them on only a small portion of their land. These farmers are risk takers and very patient. The study recommends the use of a targeted approach to scale up the adoption of STRVs. Farmers affected by climate stresses should be identified and educated about the benefits of STRVs through demonstration. In addition, the accessibility of the seeds must be ensured