EPAR RESEARCH BRIEF #64
Wed, 03/03/2010
AUTHORS: Jessica Henson Cagley, Georgine Yorgey, Joelle Cook, Ryan Gockel, Katie Hampton, Kate Schneider, Sara Curran, Mary Kay Gugerty, C. Leigh Anderson, Marieka Klawitter
ABSTRACT:
Introducing technology that is designed to be physically appropriate and valuable to women farmers can increase yields and raise income. But gender issues for agricultural technology projects in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are extremely complex. The EPAR series on Gender and Cropping in SSA offers examples of how these issues can affect crop production and adoption of agricultural technologies at each point in the crop cycle for eight crops (cassava, cotton, maize, millet, rice, sorghum, wheat, and yam). This executive summary highlights innovative opportunities for interventions that consider these dimensions of gender. We encourage readers to consult the crop specific briefs for more details. We find that involving both men and women in the development, testing, and dissemination of agricultural technology has been shown to be successful in helping both benefit. Nevertheless, a consistent finding throughout the Gender and Cropping in SSA series is that maximum benefits from technological innovations cannot be realized when upstream factors like education, power, and land tenure heavily influence outcomes. Addressing these more basic upstream causes of gender inequality may be even more important in helping households increase productivity and maximize the benefits of technological interventions.
This brief serves as the executive summary for a series of literature reviews exploring gender implications of improved cropping technology in Sub-Saharan Africa. Each crop-specific paper explores the role of women in production, and provides a framework for analyzing technology’s impact on women throughout the cropping cycle. Click the links below to explore the other briefs in this series.
- Gender & Cropping in Sub-Saharan Africa: Overview (EPAR Research Brief #33)
- Gender & Cropping in Sub-Saharan Africa: Rice (EPAR Research Brief #27)
- Gender & Cropping in Sub-Saharan Africa: Cassava (EPAR Research Brief #32)
- Gender & Cropping in Sub-Saharan Africa: Wheat (EPAR Research Brief #36)
- Gender & Cropping in Sub-Saharan Africa: Maize (EPAR Research Brief #38)
- Gender & Cropping in Sub-Saharan Africa: Sorghum (EPAR Research Brief #39)
- Gender & Cropping in Sub-Saharan Africa: Millet (EPAR Research Brief #40)
- Gender & Cropping in Sub-Saharan Africa: Yams (EPAR Research Brief #51)
- Gender & Cropping in Sub-Saharan Africa: Cotton (EPAR Research Brief #55)
TYPE OF RESEARCH: Research Brief
RESEARCH TOPIC CATEGORY: Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Livelihoods; Agricultural Inputs & Farm Management; Market & Value Chain Analysis; Labor & Time Use; Gender; Technology; Technology Adoption
POPULATION(S): Women
GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS: Sub-Saharan Africa
Downloadable Documents
Full Brief