Dr. Kathleen Earl Colverson, University of Florida “Competence and Excellence in Extension and Education” Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education April 28-May 1, 2015 Wageningen University, The Netherlands

1. Building Capacity to Integrate Gender
into International Extension Programs
Dr. Kathleen Earl Colverson
University of Florida
“COMPETENCE AND EXCELLENCE IN EXTENSION AND EDUCATION”
ASSOCIATION FOR INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL AND EXTENSION
EDUCATION
APRIL 28-MAY 1, 2015
WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY, THE NETHERLANDS

2. Why integrate gender into pluralistic
extension systems?
Because…
“The failure to recognize the roles, differences and
inequities between men and women poses a serious
threat to the effectiveness of the agricultural
development agenda.”
Gender and Agricultural Sourcebook (2009)

5. “Gender Constraints to Agricultural Inputs”
Women have:
 Less access to land, less money to buy land, using more borrowed or illegal land
 Fewer head of livestock than male-headed households
 Higher number of orphans living in female-headed households than male headed
 Fewer agricultural inputs, such as improved seed and fertilizer, used by female-headed households
 Less access to extension services and improved technologies
USAID, 2003

6. Most front-line extension workers have
little to no idea how to integrate gender
effectively or tools available.
So…..what can we do to create greater
gender equity across pluralistic rural
advisory services?

8. Capacity Development is Critical!
 Workshops were conducted in Tanzania (Sokoine Agricultural
University); Uganda (Makerere University); and Mozambique
(USAID MEAS); Ethiopia (USAID Africa Rising) from 2011-2014.
Workshop purpose(s):
 A) to increase awareness of the importance of gender issues in
agricultural extension programs
 B) provide practical tools and approaches to integrate gender
 C) demonstrate strategies for integrating gender in project
planning and agricultural value chain analysis

9. Workshop pre and post assessments….
 Extensive interactions with in-country partners prior to workshop
to determine audience needs, skills/abilities related to integrating
gender. Consider context!
 Each participant received a pre-workshop assessment prior to
workshop – 15 questions, electronically administered. Workshops
were tailored to participants’ needs
 After workshop, each participant received the same assessment to
quickly determine knowledge gained and areas for workshop
improvement

10. “Integrating Gender into Agricultural Programs”
Pre-Workshop Evaluation
Rate your ability to complete the activities listed below using the following scale:
3=To A Great Extent 2=Somewhat 1=Very Little 0=Not At All
_____Differentiate between gender and sex.
_____Analyze the connections among Extension work, gender, and agricultural productivity.
_____Identify some basic tools for conducting a gender analysis.
_____Describe how gender analysis tools can be applied to Extension work.
_____Compare and contrast techniques to engage mixed and single gender groups.
_____Identify methods for monitoring and evaluating gender responsive programming.
_____Assess when and how to apply gender analysis tools and participatory techniques to various Extension situations.

11. Participants varied…
 Extension agents – local and regional
 University researchers
 NGO field workers
 Government extension agents
 Gender focal points from other organizations
 Community Based Organization representatives
 Students
 136 total participants in four workshops
 Be prepared!

12. Sample Results from Gender
Workshops
 At Sokoine University (Tanzania) the average scores
on the pre-evaluation was 20.6, post evaluation was
41.2. As a group the percentage increase was 100%.
 At Makerere University (Uganda) the average scores
on the pre-evaluation was 24, post evaluation was 41.
As a group the percentage increase was 73%.

13. Sample Results - Tanzania
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Percentage
Question Number
Group's Pre and Post Evaluation Scores per Question
Total Pre scores per
Question/Group
Total Post scores per
Question/Group

14. Sample Results - Uganda
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
IndividualSums
Questions
Pre and Post Evaluation Scores per Question for the Entire Group
Pre
Post

15. Overall results from four workshops
 Greatest changes in knowledge pre and post workshop:
 A) Ability to apply a specific gender analysis tool to specific extension situation
 B) Ability to demonstrate an interactive gender energizer to introduce gender
concepts
 C) Ability to determine when and how to apply selected gender analysis tools and
techniques to different extension situations
 D) Ability to determine when to engage mixed or single sex groups in extension
activities
 E) Ability to identify methods for monitoring and evaluating gender responsive
programming

16. Recommendations for improved gender
integration:
 Train additional female extension workers
 Consider meeting times and locations - childcare provision should also be
considered to encourage attendance
 Consider cultural context - may be necessary to build women’s confidence
in single sex groups first before engaging them in mixed sex groups to
ensure their participation later
 Ensure that gendered division of labor will not adversely affect women
with project introduction
 Explore innovative ways to engage male extension workers

17. THANKS!
Questions???
Comments?
More info: www.meas.org
www.ingenaes.org
http://tinyurl.com/paheerb