WEBINAR: Data and information management tools for the CGIAR Gender and Agriculture Research Network

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1. Zhera Beyan Amza says

   July 19, 2016 at 2:50 pm

   From Ethiopia-
   Addis Ababa
   July 19/2016

   Experience to community outreach activities that related to empowering women’s I have done or which were part of, applicable in my day to day woks. (From 2006 up to now)

   A basic understanding of Gender Mainstreaming process for empowering women’s’ requires a clarity on the concept of gender and gender equality as well as an appreciation for the reason it is given due attention. The reason is that various actions that have been taken so far have not brought meaningful results whereby women could be engaged in more productive activities which are beyond the traditional way of capitalizing in subsistence economy. As can be realized such gender inequality has its own implications such as limiting agricultural productivity and efficiency and thereby deters the development agenda of the country from moving forward.

   Thus adopting a Gender Mainstreaming strategy into the policies of the agricultural sector should not be a one-time venture but must be taken as part and parcel of the overall development process of the country.

   Gender Mainstreaming has a strong advantage both on the ground of equity in the economic, social and political spheres as well as in achieving meaningful and sustainable development results. Obviously, in the Ethiopian context, the links between agricultural development and gender have greater implication on poverty reduction and environmental attainability. Women’s roles are critical and necessary in all development agendas.

   This part puts forward the different ways of translating the theory of Gender Mainstreaming into practices. The principles for Gender Mainstreaming are easily adaptable to the conventional project/program planning cycles of the Minster of Agriculture as elaborated below.
   It is true that aspiring for Gender Mainstreaming is a step forward by itself. However, one has to bear in mind that there are many factors which should be fulfilled prior to attempting to practice Gender Mainstreaming itself. It mainly revolves around a strong organizational culture; which can be explained via the following two major principles:-the clarity of vision and mission as well as readiness to share those values with all staff of the agricultural sector. Such attributes help to pave the way for creating a common understanding on the rational for adopting gender sensitive program and its full realization.
   -the existence of a conducive working environment is another crucial aspect to be considered as one of the core values of the organizational culture as it has a direct effect on the facilitation of the Gender Mainstreaming process. Emphasis on such an approach is perceived to give a strong ground for bureau of agriculture to capitalize on its best organizational culture adopted so far and to consciously avoid those having negative repercussions.

   In rural communities women play important roles in food production and household nutrition but are disadvantaged in terms of access to resources, level of education, membership of cooperatives, and participation in household and community decision-making processes. Gender mainstreaming efforts are included in various sect oral programmers, but are not progressing as fast as expected. Gender mainstreaming needs to be strengthened and expedited in order to increase the benefit obtained from rural labor (men and women) and enhances value addition in the agricultural sector. Gender imbalances also need to be addressed at all levels of the institutional framework. Gender inequalities are often the result of discriminatory beliefs and practices that restrict women’s (or men’s) full participation in agriculture and the terms and conditions of their participation. Biases against pursuing careers in agriculture or discriminatory practices in recruitment and retention of extension officers go against commitments to uphold equality of opportunity and create inefficiencies in human capital and productivity. As humans, both men and women have a right to live free from discrimination that reduces their access to education, skills, and employment opportunities for which they are qualified.

   So to reduce these discriminatory beliefs and practices I have tried to do the following community outreach activities in collaboration with the SNNPRS agricultural Bureau (from2009 – 2014). These are;-

   • Enforce to incorporate gender responsive plan into Growth and Transformation five year /2011-2015/ Plan (GTP) of the SNNPRS Agricultural Bureau; due to gender documentation: equity, empowerment and participation, access and control, practical and strategic needs. The agriculture and rural development sectors in these governments tend to push strategic concerns related to land reform, redistribution, credit and loan facilities etc.,

   • Enforce to incorporate gender responsive Annual Plan of the SNNPRS Agricultural Bureau; especially due to Increase household income and assets, Strengthen human and social capital and Strengthen project sustainability causes.

   • Incorporate gender cusses through Bureau monitoring, Evaluation and reporting program

   • By using Gender aware training system we gave staff training on gender mainstreaming in every agricultural activity, in the programmed and project cycle and the dissemination of evidence-based experiences and lessons learned.

   I tried also to consultancy work to be done Gender Mainstreaming/GMS/ in Practice through SNNPRS (Southern Nation Nationalities and People Regional State) Agricultural and natural resource development Bureau program/project to alleviate these hindrance causes of women empowerment and I advocated that GMS is the main way of to poverty eradication.
   The some key elements consulted to facilitate gender responsive institutional environment, for guide to Practicing include:-
   -explicit elaboration of goals, strategies and expected outcomes in a policy statement
   -Explicit management commitment – promoting, demanding and monitoring
   -Attention to gender equality issues in the work programmed
   -Common understanding among staff on what the organization should be seeking to achieve with respect to gender equality issues – the overall goals
   -Perception of work with gender equality issues as a professional responsibility shared by all staff, and the knowledge and capacity required to address gender
   -Equality issues are seen as a professional competence in the organization
   -Inclusion of gender perspectives in development planning, monitoring and evaluation program, and that uses for management Instructions that to be guide the work of professional staff.
   -adequate access to information resources and contacts (specialists), both within the organization, needed to work effectively with gender equality.
    From Oct.2012-Sep.2014 I was a student of MSc program in Haramaya University and my study focus depending on the title of Women Empowerment through Public Agricultural Extension Services Delivery in the case of Msekan Woreda of SNNPRS - Ethiopia. The indicated research objectives are to identify the gap of gender disparities within the farm households and gender responsiveness status of agriculture Bureau and to provide the fulfillment recommendation for stockholders.
   In the current career of my job description (from Oct. 2014 up to now) explain as follows :-
   - Training needs assessment (skill gap) from bureau of higher official up to Development Agents and farmers:
   - Depending on the training assessment provide training document and monitor & evaluate the training impact :
   - Provide development policy idea related to Agricultural extension services delivery:
   - Organize Best practices documentation of farmers that promote through inter and intra organization.
   - Support , Monitor and evaluate Farmer Training Centers(FTC)
   - Provide capacity building brochures and other pamphlets by Participatory extension duties
   - Investigate farmer technology need s and Promote new and best agricultural technologies for expertise and farmers & M&E the results of production and productivity
   - Modules preparation for FTC purpose
   - Promote and award competent expertise, Development Agents and Farmers
   - Prepare the organization plan and quarterly and annual reports, E&M program projects & Collect and organize livestock data
   - Promote an organization mission and vision and counsel the relationships of bureau within the stockholder:

   Sincerely yours

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