Radio campaign seeks to break down barriers to gender-equitable agricultural extension services

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CABI is joining forces with Farm Radio International to roll out a behaviour change communication (BCC) campaign to try and help break down the barriers to gender equitable agricultural extension services in Ghana.
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How community conversations help to close the gender gap in Burundi

What are community conversations and how are they closing the gender gap in Burundi’s farming sector? The gender gap in agriculture is a big challenge. In low- and middle-income countries, women make up an average of 43% of the agricultural labour force. In Burundi, of all the time spent on agricultural work, women make up…
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Embracing equity for women farmers

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Women farmers make up around 43% of the agricultural labour force and produce over half of all food grown worldwide. Yet, when you picture a farmer, are they a woman?  This year’s International Women’s Day theme is ‘embrace equity’ and its aim is to get the world talking about why equal opportunities aren’t enough. People…
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Women farmers in Pakistan aren’t realising their potential – here’s why

Women farmers in Pakistan sort maize crop
Women farmers in Pakistan are finding it difficult to access agricultural support. The needs of male farmers dominate most advisory services and socio-cultural set up due to restricted mobility of women farmers. This is a challenge in many low- and middle-income countries. And it contributes to a gender gap in agricultural productivity. Women-managed farms are…
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Supporting women farmers by boosting the skills of agricultural advisory services 

Agricultural advisory services can benefit farmers in low- and middle-income countries. They can help farmers to learn new techniques, increase their crop yields and improve their livelihoods. They can even deliver advice about global challenges like climate change. 
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Assessing gender and rural advisory services in Ghana

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In Ghana, as in many other developing countries, women face challenges in accessing extension advisory services. Most services are geared to the needs of male farmers. On top of other challenges faced by women farmers, this lack of access only extends the gender gap in agricultural productivity in the global South.
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Plantwise: helping female farmers in Nepal access advisory services 

Female tomato farmer in Nepal
In almost all regions of Nepal, women have a greater involvement than men in farming activities. The World Bank estimates that 74% of Nepalese women work in agriculture, yet they struggle to have equal access to agricultural resources.  A new study highlights gender integration in the Plantwise programme and identifies the strengths and limitations in Nepal. It focuses…
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Gender-sensitive rural advisory services in Ghana come under the spotlight in training workshop

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CABI, as part of its global PlantwisePlus programme, has held a training workshop in Ghana aimed at building the capacity of the country’s regional agricultural officers to deliver advisory services which are mindful of the sensitivities of gender differences.
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Innovation on the ground can be critical for gender integration

Female farmer walks along dirt track holding vegetable crop, Kenya
Gender-based social norms are major barriers to women accessing agricultural extension advice and adopting new practices.  Although women make up 43% of the global agricultural labour force, just how gender-equitable are extension services like Plantwise?
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Digital advisory tools in the hands of women agricultural service providers

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Smallholder farmers across the world need access to advisory services to support them in managing pest and disease issues on their crops. As part of its PlantwisePlus programme, CABI is developing and promoting digital advisory tools to increase access to the information that farmers need to adopt safe and effective agricultural practices. One of the…
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