1. Gender Strategy with specific attention to
mainstreaming gender concerns in Global
Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP):CRP 3:3
Sustainable crop productivity increase for
global food security
IRRI, AfricaRice, CIAT
Presented by Thelma R. Paris, IRRI with Kamala Gurung (IRRI-
Bangladesh) and Rita Agboh Noameshi (AfricaRice)
Progress on Gender-Research and Agriculture in the CGIAR
June 12, 2012

2. Rice and women
• Rice farming is a major source of employment for many
families, especially the poor in Asia and Africa
• About four-fifths of global rice production is grown by
small scale farmers in low income developing countries
• Vast rice areas are prone to abiotic stresses, rainfed,
small and marginal landholdings with low yields
• Extreme climate variability poses threat to food security
• Rural women play critical roles as farmers, agricultural
workers and users of natural resources for food, fuel,
fodder
• With increasing male out-migration, women left behind
are becoming de facto heads of households and farm
managers
• Women hold the keys to reducing poverty and hunger

3. GRiSP’s mission
• Reduce poverty and hunger
• Improve human health and nutrition
• Reduce the environmental footprint and
enhance the ecosystem resilience
of rice production systems

4. Objectives of GRiSP
• To increase rice productivity through development
of improved varieties and other technologies along
the value chain
• To foster more sustainable rice-based production
systems that use resources more efficiently
• To improve the efficiency and equity of the rice
sector through better and more accessible
information and strengthened delivery mechanisms

5. Global Research Themes
Theme 1 Harnessing genetic diversity to chart new
productivity, quality and health horizon
Theme 2 Accelerating the development, delivery and adoption of
improved rice varieties
Theme 3 Ecological and sustainable management of rice –based
production systems
Theme 4 Extracting more value from rice harvests through
improved quality, processing , market systems and new
products
Theme 5 Technology targeting and policy (Socioeconomic and
gender analysis for technology evaluation)
Theme 6 Supporting the growth of the global rice sector

6. Gender-responsive objectives in GRiSP
• Assess the changes (global and local) in rice-based
agricultural systems which affect gender roles in ensuring
food security and the corresponding constraints and
opportunities for change (Theme 5)
• Assess gender-differentiated impact on
productivity, sustainability, efficiency and equity of rice
technologies (Theme 5)
• Ensure technology development (including sustainable
resource mgt) for rice takes gender differences into
account (Themes 1,2,3)
• Develop approaches for equitable inclusion of men and
women in rice value chain development, large scale
dissemination strategies for seed and marketing
(Themes, 4,6)

7. IRRI uses a three-pronged
approach in tackling gender issues
• Conduct strategic research on emerging
gender issues in rice-based economy
• Involve men and women farmers in
technology development and dissemination
and build their capacities
• Enhance the leadership skills of Asian and
African women in rice research, development
and extension

8. Gender-related activities
Activities Focus Approach
1. Conduct strategic - Understanding gendered - Baseline
research that will vulnerabilities to extreme climate socioeconomic analysis
identify gender variability and identification of with gender
equitable rice adaptation strategies disaggregated
research for - Assessment of gendered gaps in information and gender
development and access to and control of key assets and analysis (STRASA, GSR)
extension programs productive resources - Use of qualitative and
- Knowledge of social (gender) quantitative methods
(Theme 5) dynamics in relation to changing rice- of inquiry (GAAP)
based agricultural systems e.g rice-
fish, rice-wheat systems
- Analysis of on-farm performances,
gender disaggregated constraints and
social and economic effects of
technological interventions

9. Gender-related activities
Activities Focus Approach
2. Mainstream the - New and promising - Preference analysis of
use of gender tolerant breeding lines elite lines/varieties of
differentiation and for drought, men and women (at
gender analysis in submergence and least 30-50% ) are
adaptive research salinity (STRASA, CSISA, women
processes CURE) - Participatory on-farm
- Sustainable and experiments conducted
(Themes 2, 3, 4) efficient resource by women farmers
management - Participatory
- Post harvest and evaluation of post
processing technologies harvest technologies
and microenterprises for cereals
-SeedNet -* with women
(CSISA-BD) groups

10. Process of integrating gender in technology
development and dissemination
Initial problem diagnosis and environment
characterization (include gender-differentiated
information and gender analysis)
Identify whether there are gender differences in
constraints to increasing productivity and criteria for
technology adoption
Test potential technologies to overcome constraints
through participatory approaches (include women as
farmer cooperators and evaluators)
Monitor and evaluate (technical performance, economic
feasibility, social and cultural acceptability, changes in
gender roles, women empowerment)
Technology dissemination (scaling up) - include women
as key agents of change

11. Stages of farmer-researcher partnership on PVS
Baseline
socioeconomic Participatory rural
surveys appraisal (PRA) Inclusion of male and female
farmers in selecting new lines
Survey of varieties by area Social and gender before harvesting rice Use of simple methods of
planted, land type, cropping analyses rating, for
systems, farming systems example, preferential
Stage 2 analysis of males and females
Stage 1 Evaluation of new rice lines and sensory tests
Data on men and women Setting on-station and on-farm
benefitting from the project breeding goals managed by researchers
based on the “snowball effect”
or the flow of technology within (mother trials)
and in adjacent villages
Inclusion of male and
Stage 5 female volunteer farmers
Gender- in farmer-managed trials
disaggregated Assessment of benefits of
data on impact PVS by both researchers Stage 3
assessment based Evaluation of new rice lines Use of farmer rating
on selected and farmer-cooperators in comparing two to
indicators in farmers’ fields managed three new lines with
by farmers their variety
Oral testimonies of men and
(baby trials)
Conduct of focus
women cooperators of Stage 4 interviews with separate
farmer-managed trials Wide diffusion of groups (males or
seeds/scaling up females) and individual
male and female farmer-
cooperators
Distribution of farmer- Conduct of field days at
preferred varieties to active researcher- and farmer-
male and female farmers in
Survey using a managed trials Strategies and methods
many villages representing
the target environment semi-structured to incorporate social and
questionnaire to assess
the spread and adoption
gender analysis in rice
of varieties breeding in SE Asia, SA
and Africa

12. * Men and women have common and different varietal preferences and
needs based on gender roles and socio-economic status. Therefore their
opinions should be considered in varietal improvement

13. Men and women’s participation in
preference analysis (%), India, 2008-2011
80
70
60
50
40
30 Male
20 Female
10
0
2008
2010
2009
2010
2011
2008
2009
2010
2011
2008
2009
2011
Submergence Salinity/Sodicity Drought

14. Men and women’s participation in preference
analysis (%), Bangladesh and Nepal, 2008-2011
90
80
70
60
50
40
30 Male
20 Female
10
0
Nepal
80
2010
2008
2009
2011
2008
2009
2010
2011
2008
2009
2010
2011
70
60
50
Submergence Salinity/Sodicity Drought 40
30 Male
20
Bangladesh 10 Female
0
2008
2008
2009
2010
2011
2009
2010
2011
Submergence Drought

15. Women’s participation in PVS, Africa
Restauratrices échangeant sur les
qualités des NERICA
• Farmers are invited three times at
different rice growth stages
• They evaluate varieties/lines by casting
their votes on preferred lines
356 farmers (177 men and 179 women)
were involved in the process

16. Gender-related activities
Activities Focus Approach
3. Build and enhance -Enhancement of skills of Training courses given by IRRI
capacities of women male and female scientists a) Leadership for Asian and African
scientists engaged in rice (biophysical and social women in
R, D and E and use scientists) and research, development, and
innovative strategies to development and extension;
empower grassroots extension workers from b) Gender analysis and its application
women with technical different institutions in rice-based farming systems for
knowledge and skills as -Enhancement of technical both male and female researchers
well as disseminate knowledge and skills of c) Seed health training for women
technologies to other grassroots women farmers
women (community seed bank in d) Training NARES scientists on
Nepal, use of machinery in Participatory Varietal Selection
(Themes 1-6) India) (PVS)
e) Socio-economic impact assessment
(with focus on poverty and gender)

17. T. Paris, D. Manzanilla, G. Tatlonghari, R. Labios, A. Cueno, and D. Villanueva.
2011. Guide to participatory varietal selection for submergence-tolerant rice.
Los Baños, Laguna (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 11 p.

18. Leadership Course for
Asian and
African Women
in Agriculture R & D and
Extension
2005-
160 women participants (2002-2010)
Participants - NARES and IRRI outreach
offices (26 countries)
Resource persons – IRRI scientists, resource
persons from Training Center and IRRI
Human Resource and from Management
Organized by Dr. TParis, SSD and Noel
Magor, IRRI, Training Center

19. Empowering women
as entrepreneurs in
transplanting rice
Tamil Nadu, India CSISA
project

20. Gender –related activities
Activities Focus Outputs
4. Develop monitoring Product-specific - Gender disaggregated baseline
and evaluation tools for measureable socioeconomic studies and
gender and equity milestones to form the midline surveys (GAAP, STRASA)
basis for all monitoring - Women’s Empowerment Index
* CSISA - Bangladesh and reporting - Male and female participation
in project activities eg PVS,
demonstration trials,
experiments, field days, seed
distribution, workshops, training
courses, etc. (STRASA, CSISA)
- Collection of information
(before and after) of outcomes of
technology adoption for different
categories of women (farming
and landless) (CSISA, CURE)

21. Conceptual Framework for Women Empowerment FtF
Indicators
Five domain (USAID-FiF
Assets (e.g., indicators)
land, seed, Livelihoods Effects/c i. Production
Well Being
livestock) strategies hanges ii. Access to the resource/serv.
(USD350)
iii. Income utilization
iv. Labor (Time) contribution
v. Leadership development
Interventions/Activities (e.g.)
●Postharvest technologies
● Introduction of Improved/hybrid rice
varieties
●Agricultural mechanization
Legend:
Women Joint Men

22. Challenges in integrating gender
concerns in R & D
• Need to have well-designed methods/methodologies/processes for
integrating gender concerns as routine way of R & D
• Strong collaboration between social scientists and biophysical scientists
and Program Theme leaders (need resource allocation for gender)
• Need to explore various ways of effectively working with women’s
groups to establish income generating activities - resources beyond
product development
• Social scientists, especially women, in countries where there are social
restrictions are scant; need more training and support from local
institutions
• Leadership course for Asian and African Women in R,D, E organized by
IRRI needs to be expanded and given more support for sustainability –
increasing demand but low resources