GAPGender in Agriculture Partnership

Transforming agriculture to empower women and deliver food, nutrition and income security

“In order to awaken the people, it is the women who have to be awakened. Once she is on the move, the family moves, the village moves, the nation moves.”

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister

Why a Gender in Agriculture Partnership (GAP)?

Women’s contributions to agricultural production, processing, marketing and household food security and nutrition often go unrecognized. Yet, on average, they represent 43 percent of the world’s agricultural labour force (FAO, 2011) and 47 percent of the global fisheries labour force (World Bank et al., 2010). Despite their significance, women commonly suffer huge gender inequalities in access to land, productive resources, markets, decent jobs and information.

A growing body of compelling evidence shows that reducing these inequalities and improving women’s and girls’ social status and education leads to substantial increases in agricultural productivity, value-addition and incomes, reduced losses and wastage, improved food quality and safety, and better household food and nutrition security.

What is GAP?

Since no single institution or individual can resolve these immense challenges alone, Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) Stakeholders are now working together to build a vibrant, collective movement for change.

Launched at the first Global Conference on Women in Agriculture (GCWA, New Delhi, March 2012), GAP is a multi-stakeholder network for action, developed through the passion and commitment of individuals across many civil, private, governmental and inter-governmental institutions at global, regional, national and local levels, working together to promote gender equity and empower women in agriculture.

Reducing the gender gap in farmers’ access to productive resources could raise yields on women’s farms by 20-30%.This would raise total agricultural yields in developing countries by 2.5-4%, reducing the number of hungry people in the world by 100-150

million.

Increasing the share of household income earned by women contributes positively to household food consumption and nutritional outcomes, directly addressing child stunting.

Food and nutrition security are worst in countries with the greatest gender inequalities; for example, despite South Asia’s better record in food supplies, its child malnutrition rates are twice those of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Higher educational achievements for women are associated with better child nutrition and health.

(FAO, 2011; Meinzen-Dick et al., 2011)

Benefits from reducing gender gaps

GAP’s mission

To place gender equity and women’s empowerment at the heart of agricultural policy, research and development, capacity-development and institutional-building agendas. This means re-conceptualizing agriculture not only as a vehicle to produce food, other agricultural products and income, but also to ensure household and community well-being.

GAP’s visionA transformed agriculture where gender equity enables food, nutrition and income security for the rural poor.

GAP’s initial priorities

Priorities initially identified at GCWA and elaborated in the second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD2, Punta del Este, October 2012) and via an e-survey, are to create:

The evidence and knowledge base required to give visibility to women’s contributions and the costs of neglecting their needs in agricultureInter-institutional and cross-sectoral advocacy to raise awareness of women’s needs in agricultureCollective action and leadership among rural women and girls on practical programmes and international actions that directly meet their needsAction on women’s rights at large and addressing gender discrimination in agricultural policies, institutions and services

Awareness in policy-shaping bodies on the need for women’s ownership of and access to resources, and for decision-making roles within agricultural and community organizations and the household

GAP’s initial roles

Facilitate dialogue and debate among committed GAP professionals on priority needs and actions to ensure gender equity in agricultureBring partners together to provide a collective voice and advocacy

A multi-stakeholder network for collective action to ensure gender equity in agriculture, GAP aims to:

Serve as a common space for GAP partners to develop programmes together Share and reward the best example(s) of gender success storiesHelp develop effective national, regional and international policies, strategies and collective actions

GAP’s stakeholders include

International fora and networks (GFAR and Regional Fora (AARINENA, APAARI, CACAARI, EFARD, FARA, FORAGRO), Sub-Regional Fora, GFRAS and YPARD

National research organizations (ICAR, NARC, CORPOICA)Multilateral organizations (FAO, IFAD, UN Women, WFP, Asian Development Bank, World Bank)Civil society organizations (AFA, AGRA, CARE International, FANRPAN, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, IUF, Oxfam, ROP-Africa, WFO) Private sector organizations (Dupont Pioneer, PanAAC)

(See full list and acronyms in the GAP website)

The 15 centers that are members of the CGIAR Consortium, the CGIAR Research Programs; and the AWARD program

Regional hubs, linked vertically and horizontally within GAP to catalyze and support region-specific gender in agriculture actions.

National actors from all sectors, promoting change in communities and institutions and challenging underlying social barriers and norms.

A group of GAP Patrons, consisting of Eminent Persons, who provide guidance and advocacy for GAP.

GAP collective actions

These (see GAP website) are driven by the need to demonstrate tangible and visible outcomes that have a greater impact than any one partner could acheive alone, embodying the efficiencies, synergies and value-addition of working through the open, collective partnership of the GAP movement.

Further Reading

ICAR, APAARI & GFAR. Synthesis report, Global Conference on Women in Agriculture, New Delhi, March 2012

Contacts

Mark Holderness, Executive Secretary, GFAR Email: info@gender-gap.netwww.gender-gap.netwww.unwomen.org

FAO. 2011. State of Food and Agriculture. Women in Agriculture. Closing the gender gap for development. FAO, Rome

World Bank, FAO & WorldFish Center. 2010. The Hidden Harvests: the Global Contribution of Capture Fisheries. World Bank, Washington DC

Meinzen-Dick, R. et al. 2011. Engendering Agricultural Research, Development and Extension. IFPRI Monograph (GFAR-supported), Washington DC

GAP’s working mechanisms

GAP operates at different levels through an inter-linked structure:An international group of ‘GAP Catalysts’ to inspire change and foster collective actions within their own organizations and among different organizations and sectors, supported by specialized (time-bound) Working Groups, and focusing on:

sharing knowledge and catalyzing discussions among GAP partners to develop joint programmes and activities that bring synergies and value-addition

advocacy, especially at global and regional levels mentoring women professionals and leaders, especially younger staff