Identifying gender-responsive approaches in rural advisory services that contribute to the institutionalisation of gender in Pakistan
Published: April, 2019
Journal article
Purpose
Unequal reach and access to information is an issue that affects women involved in agricultural activities around the world. Recent initiatives to address gender unequal access to agricultural information have been clumsy, overlooking participatory approaches that focus on transformative change. This study uses Pakistani rural advisory services to compare farmers’ and extension workers’ perceptions of access to agricultural information, to identify culturally acceptable gender-responsive schemes.
Design/methodology/approach
One-hundred and eleven extension workers in Pakistan’s public rural advisory services were interviewed and crosstabulated with farmers’ answers in previous studies.
Findings
Male extension workers are aware that women access less information less often; however they might not be aware of its importance in the gender inequality debate. Lead farmers could offer a potentially transformative knowledge pathway because of its blend of formal and informal interactions – both systems favoured by female smallholders. An exclusively female-led lead farmer approach could be developed and trialled in specific areas of the province.
Practical implications
Targeted initiatives focusing on improving awareness and importance of gender inequalities in information access as well as specific extension system development centred on lead female farmers and extension agents are important in institutionalising gender and creating transformative change.
Theoretical implications
Linking these activities to in-depth social network and agricultural innovation system analyses would provide further evidence of the importance of focused gender activities and their impact on food security.
Identifying gender-responsive approaches in rural advisory services that contribute to the institutionalisation of gender in Pakistan
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2019.1604392
Type Journal article
Published in The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 25(3)
Language English
Year 2019
Related projects
Plantwise
Worldwide, over 500 million smallholder farmers provide food for two-thirds of the earth’s growing population. Achieving a zero hunger world by 2030 depends on increasing the productivity of these smallholder farmers – but their crops face a significant threat. Yearly, an estimated 40% of crops grown worldwide are lost to pests. If we could reduce crop losses by just 1%, we could potentially feed millions more people. The lack of access to timely, appropriate and actionable extension advice makes it a fundamental challenge for farmers to get the right information at the right time to reduce crop losses.
Start: 01/01/11