Internal training for AgriFoSe2030 Projects on Gender transformative approaches

The webinar was attended by over 30 participants who shared some practical lessons on how they approached different gender related challenges. Participants shared reflections on how they navigated gender challenges across Uganda’s milk value chain, within insect harvesting and trade in Zimbabwe and among agropastoral communities in Kenya. Project leaders in Vietnam and Cambodia also shared perspectives on the gendered nature of e-commerce for smallholders and digital extension services.

Participants were encouraged to note the differences between gender blind, gender sensitive and gender transformative approaches within their projects and design activities to tackle gender inequalities. Emphasis was placed on the integration of a gender transformative approach that recognises the contextual variations in gender dynamics within all AgriFoSe2030 projects. The seminar highlighted two key principles for gender transformation. First, women’s own perspectives and priorities need to be given high consideration. Additionally, both individual and collective women empowerment strategies that treat men as important actors are important for gender transformation. 

“It was fantastic to have such good turnout across the AgriFoSe2030 projects, and to see so much enthusiasm for addressing issues of gender inequality. Although it was only a one-hour seminar, we were able to touch on so many different questions and challenges brought forward by our AgriFoSe2030 colleagues. I think there is a lot of interest in continuing to discuss these topics in even greater detail, and to find ways of making projects more gender-sensitive and gender-transformative. So we hope to have a follow-up seminar in the near future.” - Gwen Varley

The seminar is one of a series of seminars on capacity building and knowledge exchanges on cross cutting issues within AgriFoSe2030 projects.