3. References 47 <strong>Gender</strong> Issues by Subsector Carloni, Alice. 1992. Sociological Analysis on Agricultural Investment Project Design, FAO Investment Center Technical Page No. 9, FAO, Rome. Feder, Gershon, Tonroj Onchan, Yongyuth Chalamwong, <strong>and</strong> Chitra Hongladarom. 1988. L<strong>and</strong> Policies <strong>and</strong> Farm Productivity in Thail<strong>and</strong>, Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, MD. Saito, Katrine. 1994. Raising the Productivity of Women Farmers in Sub-Saharan <strong>Africa</strong>, Discussion Paper #230, World Bank, Washington, D.C.
B. Agricultural Education <strong>and</strong> Training 1. Issues 48 <strong>Gender</strong> Issues by Subsector In most borrowing countries, fewer women than men are agricultural technicians in agricultural ministry or development agency staff, particularly at higher levels. This absence of women technicians can have negative implications <strong>for</strong> women’s agricultural production, especially in countries where contact between male agricultural staff <strong>and</strong> rural women is restricted. Experience shows that in such cases women’s access to in<strong>for</strong>mation <strong>and</strong> extension activities <strong>and</strong> to credit is significantly reduced. <strong>Agriculture</strong> staff have reduced opportunities to underst<strong>and</strong> women’s production systems <strong>and</strong> learn from women farmers. Increasing the number of women with technical training in agriculture is, there<strong>for</strong>e, essential. At the same time, however, it is important to train men as well as women agriculture staff in gender issues; gender analysis needs to become an integral part of the curriculum in agricultural training institutions, both in the core courses <strong>and</strong> in refresher training <strong>for</strong> previously trained staff. In most countries, fewer women than men enroll in agricultural training institutions. In the Sahel, <strong>for</strong> example, only about 15 percent of agriculture students overall are women, although higher proportions of women are enrolled in some countries in particular specialties such as horticulture. The gender differences in enrollment can be explained as follows: • In countries where fewer girls than boys pass through the primary <strong>and</strong> secondary school system, fewer women than men have the educational qualifications required <strong>for</strong> entry into agricultural training institutions. Moreover, gender streaming 10 makes it less likely that girls have taken the required science sub- jects. • Women feel less welcome than men at training institutions. Many institutions lack adequate, separate facilities <strong>for</strong> women students. Often, women students, who are viewed as breaking out of the traditional gender mold, are sometimes actively discouraged, harassed, <strong>and</strong> teased. They may get little institutional support when facing such treatment. • Women do not find careers in the ministry of agriculture attractive, because: Postings <strong>and</strong> transfers in rural areas are difficult to reconcile with spouse/ family commitments 10 <strong>Gender</strong> streaming refers to the phenomenon of women being underrepresented relative to men in some fields of study⎯agriculture, science, <strong>and</strong> engineering⎯<strong>and</strong> overrepresented in others⎯the humanities, fine <strong>and</strong> applied arts, home economics, <strong>and</strong> teacher training.
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