Presented by Marina Ulmos (National Agrarian University, Nicaragua) at the Livestock and Fish Gender Working Group Workshop and Planning Meeting, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 14-18 October 2013

1. Developing gender capacities from higher
education
Marina Ulmos
National Agrarian University, Nicaragua
Livestock and Fish Gender Working Group Workshop and Planning Meeting
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 14-18 October 2013

2. Context
• The National Agrarian University (UNA), is the oldest higher
education institution in agricultural sciences in Nicaragua. Its
mission is to train professionals and develop research and
agricultural extension programs, responding to the different
models of development that the country has experienced.
• It is a partner institution of CIAT and has worked in many
programs and projects with CGIAR institutions. It is currently
one of the main partners in developing the Livestock and Fish
research program in Nicaragua.

3. Women s participation in the University
• Women´s participation in the university is less
than 50%, probably because there is a
perception that agricultural careers involve
fieldwork and therefore they should be
undertaken by men.
• Currently, the UNA has 4,125 students (32.53%
are women) and 185 lecturers (35.68% are
women). These numbers have increased
through the years.

4. Gender approach from the Faculty of
Rural Development
• The FDR is the only faculty of the UNA which has included gender
as a transversal issue in the curriculum and in the practical training
system.
• Under the human development approach, the FDR has
implemented gender-focused strategies and projects at an
institutional, research and project level.
• The Faculty of Rural Development will work together with the
Faculty of Animal Science (FACA) as partner developers of the
Livestock and Fish program, representing UNA as a partner
institution of CIAT in Nicaragua.

5. Gender capacities at an institutional
level
Objectives
Gender analysis and research at the UNA to
create a comprehensive gender policy
To create a Gender policy for the university
Activities
•
•
•
•
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Focus groups
Interviews
Biographic methods
Surveys
Observation of dynamics
• Establish a gender office
• Organize women from different faculties to
create a platform to influence decision
makers
• Create an official gender policy document
(rules and regulations)

6. Gender approach at a research and
rural extension level
Objectives
Identification and analysis of main gender
constraints and dynamics of rural families
Development of knowledge and
technological capabilities to strengthen
gender equality
Activities
• Analysis of gender constraints that women
face to access rural value chains. The
research instruments used to complete this
analysis were: focus groups, interviews and
biographic methods.
• Implementation of technology appropriate
to the needs of women in the rural sector
(renewable energy).
• Food security projects to promote improved
and indigenous seeds, as well as veterinary
care for cattle, to improve their nutrition
and prevent disease.

7. Objectives
Promote the participation of women in value
chains
Activities
• Training programs for women biscuit
producers about the value chain process:
input (corn)-processing (improved ovens)
and marketing of their product.

8. Objectives
Supporting organizational processes of
women's cooperatives
Activities
• Expert advice about cooperative
organization processes and credit access to
women producers.

9. UNA s Gender work and Livestock and
Fish s Gender Strategy
• The Faculty of Rural Development of UNA has experience in
developing gender capabilities, therefore it will be able to
participate in initiatives to train different stakeholders (technicians,
agronomists, interviewers, producers, etc.) and mainstream gender
in the research and implementation of the Livestock and Fish
program, as part of output 1 of the gender strategy.
• The faculty´s work to include women farmers in value chains
through technology implementation, production process
improvement and promotion of organizational processes, is linked
to the 2nd output of the gender strategy.

10. Muchas gracias!
Thank you!