Introduction

Agriculture is the backbone of many economies and a primary source of livelihoods globally, yet its potential for sustainable development is severely hampered by persistent gender inequalities. Women constitute a significant portion of the agricultural workforce, often performing the majority of farm labor, yet they consistently face systemic barriers to accessing land, credit, technology, training, and markets. These disparities not only limit women's productivity and well-being but also undermine food security, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. A truly transformative approach to agricultural development must move beyond gender-blind interventions to explicitly recognize, value, and empower women's crucial roles, ensuring their equitable participation and benefit from agricultural initiatives. This essential training course focuses on Gender and Agricultural Development, equipping participants to foster inclusive and sustainable agricultural growth.

This intensive training course is meticulously designed to equip agricultural professionals, development practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and civil society actors with the theoretical understanding and practical tools necessary to integrate a gender perspective into agricultural development policies and programs. Participants will gain a deep understanding of the gendered division of labor in agriculture, explore the specific challenges and opportunities for women farmers, and learn to design and implement gender-responsive agricultural interventions. The course will delve into topics such as women's land rights, access to agricultural inputs and finance, climate-smart agriculture with a gender lens, gender-inclusive value chains, and promoting women's leadership in farmer organizations. By mastering the principles and methodologies of Gender and Agricultural Development, participants will be empowered to contribute to more equitable, productive, and food-secure agricultural sectors that benefit all members of the community.

Duration: 5 Days

Target Audience

• Agricultural Extension Officers and Agronomists
• Development Practitioners working on Food Security and Rural Development
• Policymakers and Government Officials (Agriculture, Land, Gender Ministries)
• Researchers in Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology
• Civil Society Organizations focused on Rural Women and Farmer Rights
• Agribusiness Professionals and Value Chain Developers
• Microfinance Institutions serving rural areas
• Food Security Program Managers
• Climate Change Adaptation Specialists in Agriculture
• Community Development Workers in agricultural regions

Course Objectives

• Understand the gendered roles and division of labor in agricultural systems.
• Analyze the specific barriers and constraints faced by women farmers and rural women.
• Comprehend the importance of women's access to and control over productive resources (land, water, inputs).
• Learn to conduct gender analysis in agricultural value chains and rural livelihoods.
• Develop strategies for designing gender-responsive agricultural policies and programs.
• Acquire knowledge of approaches to climate-smart agriculture (CSA) with a gender lens.
• Explore methods for promoting women's leadership and participation in farmer organizations and decision-making.
• Identify opportunities for enhancing women's economic empowerment in agriculture.
• Examine global best practices and successful case studies of gender-integrated agricultural development.
• Develop a practical action plan for integrating gender into their agricultural work.
• Enhance advocacy skills for gender-just agricultural policies and practices.

Course Content

Module 1: Introduction to Gender in Agriculture

• Defining agriculture, food security, and rural development through a gender lens.
• Gender roles and responsibilities in various agricultural systems (crops, livestock, fisheries).
• The invisible contributions of women farmers and rural women to food systems.
• Global and regional statistics on women's engagement in agriculture.
• The importance of gender equality for achieving food security and sustainable agriculture.

Module 2: Gendered Access to Productive Resources

• Women's land rights and tenure security: legal frameworks and customary practices.
• Access to water resources and irrigation for women farmers.
• Gender gaps in access to agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizers, tools).
• Access to credit, financial services, and crop insurance for women.
• Challenges in accessing agricultural extension services and information.

Module 3: Gender Analysis in Agricultural Value Chains

• Understanding value chains and identifying gender roles at each stage (production, processing, marketing, consumption).
• Analyzing gendered power dynamics and distribution of benefits in value chains.
• Barriers to women's participation in profitable segments of value chains.
• Strategies for promoting women's entrepreneurship and collective action in value chains.
• Case studies of gender-inclusive value chain development.

Module 4: Gender-Responsive Agricultural Policies and Programs

• Mainstreaming gender into national agricultural policies and strategies.
• Designing gender-sensitive agricultural development programs and projects.
• Gender-responsive budgeting in the agricultural sector.
• Policy interventions to address specific constraints faced by women farmers.
• The role of legal reforms in promoting women's economic rights in agriculture.

Module 5: Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) with a Gender Lens

• Understanding the gendered impacts of climate change on agriculture and food security.
• Women's traditional knowledge and roles in adapting to climate variability.
• Promoting gender-responsive climate-smart agricultural practices.
• Ensuring women's access to climate information, technologies, and finance.
• Engaging women in climate resilience building and disaster risk reduction in agriculture.

Module 6: Technology, Innovation, and Digital Inclusion in Agriculture

• Gendered access to agricultural technologies and innovations (e.g., improved seeds, machinery).
• Bridging the digital divide for rural women farmers: access to mobile phones, internet, agricultural apps.
• Using ICTs for disseminating agricultural information and market prices.
• Women's role in agricultural research and development.
• Promoting women as innovators in the agricultural sector.

Module 7: Women's Leadership and Participation in Agricultural Governance

• Promoting women's representation and leadership in farmer organizations, cooperatives, and producer groups.
• Strengthening women's voice in agricultural policy-making bodies.
• Building capacity of women leaders in advocacy and negotiation.
• The role of local community structures in supporting women farmers.
• Case studies of successful women-led agricultural initiatives.

Module 8: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning for Gender in Agriculture

• Developing gender-sensitive indicators for agricultural development programs.
• Collecting sex-disaggregated data and qualitative gender insights in agriculture.
• Conducting gender analysis of agricultural program impacts.
• Utilizing M&E findings to adapt programs and inform policy.
• Best practices in gender-responsive M&E for agricultural projects.

Module 9: Challenges, Best Practices, and Future of Gender in Agriculture

• Addressing socio-cultural norms and power dynamics in agricultural communities.
• Scaling up successful gender-integrated agricultural interventions.
• The role of partnerships and collaboration (public, private, civil society).
• Emerging trends in agriculture (e.g., agroecology, precision farming) and their gender implications.
• Developing a personal/organizational commitment to gender-just agricultural development.

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org  Tel: +254 702 249 449

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Skills for Africa Training Institute Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Skills for Africa Training Institute certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org  Tel: +254 702 249 449

Terms of Payment: Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 7 working days before commencement of the training