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Proyecto

Strengthening gender inclusion in agricultural research for more conclusive results in West Africa
 

Benin
Ivory Coast
Niger
Identificador del Proyecto
109799
Total del financiamiento
CAD 1,213,500.00
Estado de Proyecto
Active
Duración
36 meses

Programas y alianzas

Principales instituciones

Resumen

Despite the fact that almost half of the world’s population is female, women are poorly represented in the science fields. Many efforts are being made to remove barriers and close the gap created by gender disparities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research.Más información

Despite the fact that almost half of the world’s population is female, women are poorly represented in the science fields. Many efforts are being made to remove barriers and close the gap created by gender disparities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research. However, in West Africa, gender stereotypes in agriculture make it more difficult to eliminate bottlenecks to the effective inclusion of women in agricultural research.

The overall aim of this project is to develop inclusive and gender-sensitive institutional strategies and policies as well as skills for research and the participation of women scientists in the agricultural sciences in West Africa. This will help promote equitable, sustainable, and productive agricultural systems in support of broader economic and societal transformation. Specifically, the project aims to (i) identify and better understand gender biases to better analyze women’s representativeness and the use of gender approaches in research and training in various agricultural sciences specialties; (ii) develop research methodology in the agricultural sciences that takes gender into account and has an impact on research outcomes; (iii) train women in agricultural specialties where they are marginalized; and (iv) build institutional capacity for the transformation of gender relations in agricultural sciences research and training programs and institutions in West Africa.

This project is part of a cohort of seven projects selected following a call for proposals for the Gender in STEM Research Initiative (GIST). The objective of the cohort is to increase the contribution of science to gender equality. It aims to advance women’s leadership and participation in STEM and to increase gender analysis in STEM research.

Publicaciones

Resultados de la investigación Opens in new tab
Article
Idioma:

Inglés

Resumen

In recent years, agroforestry technologies have emerged as promising alternative measures for addressing major environmental crises. However, their use in Africa remains below anticipated levels. Therefore, this systematic review aims to investigate the underlying reasons for the low adoption and limited use of such technologies in Africa. Employing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses protocol (PRISMA), we conducted a comprehensive search for relevant scientific papers in databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science. A total of 351 articles were initially identified. Following the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 36 articles were selected from which data were manually extracted for inclusion in this review. Descriptive statistics were employed to assess the farmers’ perceptions of agroforestry technologies and the constraints they face when adopting them. Several constraints were identified, and the top five constraints were pests, problems of land access, lack of knowledge and skills, lack of capital and lack of seeds. To maximise the adoption of agroforestry technologies in Africa, it is imperative to introduce the technologies by considering the local context, the specific needs of farmers and the existing socio-economic dynamics. Such initiatives must include robust training and education programmes, accessible financing solutions, appropriate land tenure reforms and effective support mechanisms for access to seed and pest management. These factors could considerably improve the adoption and effectiveness of agroforestry technologies in Africa, thereby contributing to more sustainable and resilient agricultural practices.

Autores
Ouinsavi, Christine
Article
Idioma:

Inglés

Resumen

In West Africa, and Benin particularly, local forest resources can potentially contribute to both increasing and stabilizing soil productivity. However, these resources continue to be neglected with efforts instead concentrated on promoting exotic species. This study aimed to prioritize local agroforestry species on agricultural landscape by investigating the gendered, socio-demographic and agro-pedological factors of local knowledge and use of agroforestry species amongst small-holder farmers in Benin. An agroforestry inventory combined with an ethno-agroforestry survey was conducted on 364 farms with 364 farmers. A cluster analysis based on farmers’ socio-demographic and agroecological factors was used to cluster farmers into two homogeneous agroforestry systems. Median score, species diversity and ecological networks were established for these two systems. Results illustrate that gendered difference exist between the priority that farmers give to multipurpose species and this prioritization depends on priority ecosystem services for farmers and gender. Therefore, it would be useful first to consider gender and specific needs of each category of farmer to optimize the choice of agroforestry species to be promoted in such systems. The successful introduction of identified species through extension programs requires more advanced research related to the real contribution of these species to farmland fertilization, as well as the nutrient transmission pathways to associated crops in an agroforestry system to address simultaneously specific ecological, economic and socio-cultural sustainability criteria, as well as improved crop production.

Autores
Kpoviwanou, Marie Reine Jésugnon Houndjo
Artículo
Resumen
Autores
Christine OUINSAVI, , Ali MAHAMANE , Bienvenue SOUROU , Appolinaire WEDJANGNON , Marie Reine Jesugnon HOUNDJO KPOVIWANOU , Carine ABOUA , MaÏmouna MAHAMANE
Artículo
Resumen
Autores
Christine OUINSAVI, , Ali MAHAMANE , Bienvenue SOUROU , Appolinaire WEDJANGNON , Marie Reine Jesugnon HOUNDJO KPOVIWANOU , Carine ABOUA , MaÏmouna MAHAMANE
Artículo
Resumen
Autores
Christine OUINSAVI, , Ali MAHAMANE , Bienvenue SOUROU , Appolinaire WEDJANGNON , Marie Reine Jesugnon HOUNDJO KPOVIWANOU , Carine ABOUA , MaÏmouna MAHAMANE
Resultados de la investigación Opens in new tab