Giving attention to gender issues in development activities, especially in the agricultural sector, is a necessity. In agricultural affairs, the roles and needs of women differ from that of men to a significant degree.

Besides, women have little access and control over resources and ownership over land. Thus mainstreaming gender issues for all round development in the agriculture sector is crucial.

The need for sensitising gender issues in all sectors including agriculture was emphasised at a workshop jointly organised on Thursday by Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Policy Research, Extension and Development (CEAPRED) and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). The workshop aims to assist in formulating sustainable food policies to help the developing countries.

At the workshop, Agnes Quisumbing, senior research fellow at IFPRI presented a report on research carried out in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, South Africa and Guatemala as well as the Rapti region of Nepal.

Impressed by the participation of Nepali women in farming systems, Quisumbing also emphasised the need to include gender issues during the procedure of making of policy and strategies. “They should also be given rights to own land and to borrow money by themselves,” said Quisumbing. “The huge gap between policy and implementation levels could be reduced if we were able to draw out the implications of research for inclusion of gender issues in policy making,” she added.

As part of facilitating farmers in the agricultural sector, CEAPRED through its Income Generating Project for Women Farmers (IGPWF) is currently assisting some farmers of Kavre in the production of unseasonal vegetables.

Suryamaya Danuwar from Kavre, a direct beneficiary and participant at the workshop said, “The programme has been very beneficial to us. The only problem we have now is the marketing of our vegetable products.” Danuwar, also a student at higher secondary level complained of being cheated by brokers.

Executive chairman of CEAPRED Hari K Upadhyaya stressed the necessity to introduce time saving measures because “women tend to be affected more to resource change”.

A discussion was also held for identifying the needs of women and implementation of such policies. Participants emphasised issues such as the need to provide training and land ownership to women, technology dissemination and gender impact assessment at policy-making level and the inclusion of women in such matters.

“The draft report will be reviewed, finalised and sent to the government,” said Upadhyaya. “Results of the research and workshop will also be disseminated to different countries,” he added.