The document outlines the gender mainstreaming efforts at the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), emphasizing government initiatives to address gender inequality and empower women in agriculture. It discusses past achievements, established units for gender focus, and identifies challenges in participation and benefit disparities faced by women farmers. The future plans include enhanced involvement of gender focal points in all project cycles and training to improve gender considerations in agricultural research.

1. Gender mainstreaming
efforts in the Ethiopian
Institute of Agricultural
Research
Rehima Mussema, EIAR
EIAR
Livestock and Fish Gender Working Group
Workshop and Planning Meeting
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
14-18 October 2013

2. Outline
•
•
•
•
Overview of Gender Mainstreaming in the NARS
Achievements of GMg strategies in EIAR
Challenges of GMg activities in EIAR
Future plan of GMg in research projects in EIAR

3. 1. Over view of gender mainstreaming in the
NARS
 The Government has given special focus to address gender inequality and
economic empowerment of women
 Agricultural research institutes is therefore expected to contribute to
this initiative by providing guidance, technical advice, and information
through forming strong collaboration with the MoA and other SHs.
 These in return would contribute to achieve sustainable rural
development as well as contributing to poverty reduction initiatives.
 This strategy is thus, prepared to assist agricultural research institutes
to internalize gender aspect into their research and development
activities.

4. 1.1 Gender mainstreaming status
• Gender related activities in NARS were underway since mid-1990s
• EIAR has identified the need for a demand-driven and merit-based
HRD, with particular emphasis on gender
• However, formal GM aspect was commenced during the first
sensitization workshop (Oct. 1999) at the former EARO/ - EIAR.
to commence a firm foundation for the introduction of gender
concerns in to the NARS – to make GSR/GRR
to create gender awareness among researchers and develop a
strategy to integrate gender in agricultural research activities.

5. GM status…..
• To this effect, a GFU was established under the
REFLD in 2003.
• Gender issue encompasses all aspects of extension
activities
 need assessment,
behavior identification, and
• also REFLD is facilitating participatory and farmers
led research and technology transfer activities.

6. GM status…..
• to fulfill the institutional and national expectations necessitate
for the unit to stand by its own/independent in October 2006 ,
• obtained additional support and fertile ground for facilitation of
the GM process in the NARS.
• Thus, the unit is given the position of GRCO and officially
mandated to coordinate and facilitate gender related activities
in the research system as of Dec 2009.

7. 2. Accomplished Activities since the
establishment of the GFU
1. Established GM unit at HQ level and GFP at center
and regional level,
2. Organizational assessment carried out (2005),
3. Priority in gender mainstreaming identified,
4. Sex and gender disaggregated information was
produced W/t to resource, decision making,
5. TOR for GU, federal and regional research centers
developed ,
6. Establish national gender mainstreaming network
7. Joint planning workshop was held in Sep. 2009,

8. Cont…
8. GM strategy, action plan developed (for the
year 2009-2012 ),
Launching
workshop of
Strategy
and Action
Plan,
January
2009

9. Cont…
9. ToT Participants on Dec. 2009,

10. Cont…
EIAR
SNNPR
Tigray
Gambella

11. Accomplished Activities…………..
10. Case studies conducted,
11. Development of users guide entitled “Gender analysis tools:
users’ guide in Agricultural Research for development”,
12. Capacity building ,
13. Women specific empowerment activities ,
14. Affirmative actions (employment, training),
15. Women forum established ,

12. Accomplished Activities…………..
16. Demonstration of newly released technologies,
17. Demonstration and popularization of different soya bean
dishes,
18. Pre scaling up of best technologies,
19. Organizing District level Innovation Platform,
20. Participatory variety selection,
21. gender based pre-scaling up activities,
22. Participatory post harvest handling training, etc.

13. 2.1 Gender mainstreaming strategies and approaches
in EIAR
• Strengthening the political will to achieve gender equality
and equity at all levels;
• Incorporating a gender perspective into the research
planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
processes
• Integrating a gender concern into the personnel policies and
management, and legal affairs including the administration
of justice;
• Promote women specific empowerments initiatives through
improved technologies
• Increasing the numbers of women in decision-making
positions;

14. Cont …
• Promoting the use of sex-disaggregated data in statistical
analysis to reveal how research projects impact differently
on women and men;
• Providing training on gender awareness, gender analysis and
gender planning for: top level decision makers, researchers, TAs and
administrative staff to ensure integration of gender
perspective into their work;
• Creating and strengthening linkages between governments,
the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders to
ensure a co-ordination of efforts and resources; and
• Establishing of M & E, and reporting mechanisms.

15. GM effort in livestock research
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•
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Gender specific project -Chicken production
Dairy,
Milk churner
Fish production, feed preparation, processing and
post harvest handling training for women and men

16. 3. GM challenges in Agricultural Research
• Poor participation of women farmers in all project cycle and prescaling up activities (lack of resources, education, skill , knowledge, ..)
• Women farmers lack getting benefits equal to men from the
interventions
• Most of the technologies are not designed in the way to solve
women’s problems in a given area
• Limitation of skill/knowledge/capacity of GM, gender analysis and
using participatory approach
• GFP in center take GM taken as an additional work
• Lack of accountability
• Gender training is not considered as part of other training

17. 4. Future plan of GMg in the research projects
•
Based on the above problem the following plans are designed:
 GFP will strongly participate in all project cycle
 GFD –HRD planned to employ permanent GFP (five centers)
 Giving training/reminding for all (supporting and researchers)
 Participate on research reviews at all level (case team, center,
national)
 Strongly work with PMED
 Gender auditing
All theses planed activities may improve/guide GM activities in
agricultural research

18. To reduce gender
gap; always we
have to consider
women’s role in
all our
projects!!!!!