Social norms: why women farmers might not be getting ahead despite development support

Project team members visiting farming community in Muzaffargarh to know the knowledge and skills of vegetable farmers.
On International Women’s Day, Bethel Terefe, Gender Coordinator, CABI takes a look at gender-related social norms and how they affect women’s futures in agriculture. Women play an important role in agriculture. Although they rarely control decision-making on family farms, women constitute 43% of the global agricultural workforce and are an undeniable asset to the sector.
Read Further

How does gender and age affect smallholder access to agricultural advice?

Woman-and-phone
Male or female, young or old – how do demographics affect the ability of smallholder farmers to access agricultural advice? This was the subject of a working paper published about the CABI-led project, Gender and the Legume Alliance (GALA).
Read Further

“It’s science that solves problems”

I love science because it allows me explore my dreams. Agricultural science is about finding solutions for farmers, helping them reduce diseases in their fields and increase their yields so that they lose less and gain more.
Read Further

When you picture a farmer, are they a woman?

CABI has today published a briefing, Empowering female farmers – Gender responsive programming, which is an overview of gender inequality in agriculture, its challenges and impacts, and how CABI is working to address these through its projects and implementation now and in the future.
Read Further

“Gender mainstreaming is important because both men and women have equal rights to have their voices heard”

A farming couple (female and male) holding hands attend a plant clinic in Zambia
CABI envisions a world in which women, youth, and marginalised communities are included and treated equally in agricultural production. In support of SDG5: Gender Equality, CABI is focused on empowering women in agriculture. As such, this year we welcomed a key new member of staff, Bethel Terefe, as CABI’s first Gender Coordinator. Bethel will be…
Read Further

How African Indigenous Vegetables production in Uganda revealed empowered women but struggles in the private sector

Women farmers tending to their crops in Uganda
African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) are a good source of essential vitamins and minerals including micro-nutrients, supplementary protein, fibre, and calories. However, despite their nutritional value, these vegetables have not been a high priority in food programmes. As a result, adequate resources have historically not been allocated to promote their production and consumption. This compounds the…
Read Further

Adapt – Amplify – Accelerate – recommends new report on rural development

According to a new report by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) economic growth is not enough to transform rural areas in developing countries; governments need to develop inclusive policies and tailor investments if they want to make a fundamental change in rural peoples’ quality of life.
Read Further

Come up and look at my genes

While most geneticists may have a hard time convincing non-scientists to look at DNA gels, a company is offering DNA art portraits which allow customers to show off their own DNA bands to anyone. The “DNA portraits” point to bands which the company says are associated with particular characteristics as follows: “• Sport: Show off…
Read Further