Western Africa

Amplifying gender research: Insights from the IITA-CGIAR GLENS webinars

Project Management Specialist Oyewale Abioye, presenting on "Zero Hunger: Does Gender Matter? Evidence from Nigeria and Togo.

Since 2022, the IITA Gender Science Network (GSN) has been spearheading a transformative initiative to integrate a gender lens into research and institutional activities. Through their innovative Gender Learnings and Exchanges for New Insights (GLENS) webinar series, the GSN has established a vibrant platform to amplify gender-focused research, encourage dissemination, and maximize real-world impact.

Project Management Specialist Oyewale Abioye, presenting on "Zero Hunger: Does Gender Matter? Evidence from Nigeria and Togo.

Project Management Specialist Oyewale Abioye, presenting on “Zero Hunger: Does Gender Matter? Evidence from Nigeria and Togo.

In 2024, the team successfully hosted five insightful webinar series from March to October, anchored by various scientists and project leads. Each session explored a unique aspect of integrating gender and social inclusion in agricultural systems, uncovering critical gaps, and charting paths toward sustainable solutions.

  1. Transforming Tanzania’s cassava seed system: A gender perspective

The series started with Post-Doctoral Gender Research Fellow Millicent Liani presenting on ‘Designing Gender Transformative Interventions in the Commercialized Cassava Seed system in Tanzania: Insights from Muhogo Bora Project.’ The Muhogo Bora project aims to empower women, youth, and marginalized rural farmers as cassava seed entrepreneurs (CSEs). The project revealed significant gender disparities, with far fewer women participating as CSEs compared to men.

Using participatory action research approaches, the study identified key barriers such as:

  • Limited access to land, financial capital, and agricultural extension services.
  • Women’s and youth-restricted agency decision-making power.
  • Unpaid care work and experiences of gender-based violence.
Agricultural Economist and IITA Country Representative in Malawi, Sika Gbegbelegbe, sharing findings from the AICCRA project while presenting on "Gendered access to Climate Information Services (CIS) in climate change hotspots of Zambia.

Agricultural Economist and IITA Country Representative in Malawi, Sika Gbegbelegbe, sharing findings from the AICCRA project while presenting on “Gendered access to Climate Information Services (CIS) in climate change hotspots of Zambia.

To address these challenges, the research team proposed targeted gender transformative interventions, including:

  • Community awareness campaigns.
  • Engaging men and boys as agents of change.
  • Strengthening youth capacities in agribusiness.
  • Collaborating with local partners on issues related to gender, rights, and finance.

These strategies aim to foster equitable and inclusive participation of women and youth in the cassava seed system, ensuring that all stakeholders, regardless of gender and age, can thrive.

  1. A Gender-inclusive approach to plant health research

In the second webinar, which focused on ‘A gender-inclusive approach to data collection and adoption of new technologies in plant health research,’ the Yam Disease Phenotyping Specialist, Olufisayo Kolade, emphasized the importance of integrating gender perspectives in plant health research. Researchers can better address diverse needs and ensure inclusivity by employing mixed methods and collecting gender-disaggregated data.

Kolade highlighted several challenges, including:

  • Cultural and behavioral limitations to women’s adoption of technology.
  • Unequal access to resources and training for men and women in the agri-food sector.

She proposed solutions such as:

  • Empowering women with access to essential resources
  • Addressing gender norms through transformative approaches
  • Creating inclusive learning environments
  • Advocating for gender-responsive policies in agriculture and research
  1. Bridging gender gaps in agricultural resources endowment and productivity in Malawi and Ghana

An Agricultural Economist, Tufa Adane, presented on ‘Intra- and inter-household gaps in agricultural resources endowment and productivity: Insight from mixed farming systems (MFS) Initiative Baseline Survey in Malawi and Ghana.’ The study examined intra-household and inter-household differences in access to resources, technologies, and productivity.

Key findings included:

  • There is a gap in agricultural productivity between female-headed households without spouses (FHHNS) and male-headed households with spouses (MHHS).
  • Plots managed by FHHNS are less productive than those managed by MHHS.
  • The sources of productivity differences are because FHHNS have lower education levels, smaller land sizes, and limited access to inputs, and the productivity of resources they own is less than the same amount and types of resources owned by the MHHS.
  • Women in MHHS spent more time on domestic activities during the dry season and farming activities during the wet season.
  • In MHHS, husbands allocated more time to leisure and socializing than their wives.

To address these disparities and close the agricultural productivity gap, the study recommended adopting gender-transformative approaches to tackle the root causes of inequality and deliberate efforts to empower women farmers.

  1. Gender dynamics in achieving zero hunger: Lessons from Nigeria and Togo

The fourth webinar, ‘Zero hunger: Does gender matter? Evidence from Nigeria and Togo,’ led by the Project Management Specialist, Oyewale Abioye, explored how gender influences seed systems and technology adoption in Nigeria and Togo. The project significantly enhanced the efficiency of women-led processing centers by prioritizing women in seed production training and introducing gender-friendly equipment.

Key takeaways included:

  • Considering gender and age is crucial when introducing technologies, as they determine adoption rates and utilization.
  • Gender-sensitive approaches can create more equitable and effective agricultural systems.
  1. Gendered access to climate information services in Zambia

In the final session on ‘Gendered access to Climate Information Services (CIS) in climate change hotspots of Zambia,’ Agricultural Economist and IITA Country Representative in Malawi, Sika Gbegbelegbe, discussed findings from the AICCRA project. The study analyzed farmers’ perceptions of climate change and their access to Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) and Climate Information Services (CIS) in Zambia.

Key insights included:

  • Both men and women shared similar perceptions of climate change, but male household heads had greater access to CIS.
  • Farmers preferred actionable information on rainfall and early warnings delivered by knowledgeable government extension agents.
  • By understanding and addressing these preferences, the project aims to enhance the adoption of CSA and CIS, fostering resilience in climate-vulnerable regions.

Looking ahead
Through the GLENS webinar series, the IITA Gender Science Network continues to pave the way for equitable and transformative agricultural research. By amplifying gender-focused insights and fostering actionable solutions, the series empowers stakeholders to address systemic inequalities and create inclusive opportunities for women, youth, and marginalized communities in agriculture.

 

Contributed by Ochuwa Favour Daramola

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