Yeshi Chiche, Afework Hagos, Alemnesh Bekele, Daniel Desta, Dessalegn Getu, Kebede Dessalegn, Selamamwit Markos, Getachew Ayana

April 2018 - Cape Town, South Africa

MAJOR FINDINGS OF PARTICIPATORY GENDER ANALYSIS OF SORGHUM PRODUCTION, IN

SELECTED SMIL PROJECT AREAS OF ETHIOPIA

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GENDER CONSIDERATIONS

The Sorghum and Millet Innovation Lab has an on-going partnership through research activities with the EIAR on the implementation of sorghum value chain improvement research The major focus is on genetic enhancement, production system and value-

added products and market development Gender mainstreaming, environment and nutrition are the major cross

cutting subjects to be considered in the chain of activities

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GENDER CONSIDERATIONS

Need for gender-disaggregated data for SMIL roject in Ethiopia identified in March 2015 and project planning commenced

Project purpose – to identify key trends and issues that could be utilized to drive further targeted research

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ETHIOPIA

Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa after Nigeria

Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for more than 80% of the population

Despite rapid economic growth in Ethiopia, there is still gap in food and nutrition security in many rural households

Rural women have significant contribution to the agriculture sector both in farming and livestock production

Gender based studies indicates that women contribute more than 40% of labor in agricultural activities

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CONTRIBUTION OF WOMEN IN ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURE

Study conducted at different parts of the country indicates that rural women spend more than 13 hours a day in productive and domestic obligations

In Ethiopia, women have multiple responsibilities in maintaining the wellbeing of their family through producing, processing and providing food for their family

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CONTRIBUTION OF WOMEN IN ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURE

Although women own a great share in the chain of production, their contribution is not appreciated and their benefit from technologies is limited

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Sorghum is one of the major crops grown in almost all parts of Ethiopia between 400m and 2500m altitudes; mainly produced for food, feed, fuel and construction purposes

Sorghum production is dominated by rain-fed, small scale, fragment, subsistence and traditional practices using conventional method of farm tools

Family labour (women, men and children) are the main source of labour for farming in sorghum production

No exhaustive gender differentiated information is found on labour contribution, time allocation and access to information, of women and men in different sorghum production and management activities

SORGHUM AS A FOOD CROP

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STUDY PROCEDURE

Planning meeting conducted jointly with researchers represented from project sites Team leaders were requested to establish a research team in their respective

locations The team involved 4 – 5 researchers from different disciplines, (i.e. agricultural

economics, extension, breeding, agronomy, gender, and food science) Review of literature was conducted and shared A gender analysis training in key concepts and data collection techniques was

provided for the team

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RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Identify how gender roles differ by geographical location along the various stages of the value chain

Identify key constraints faced by sorghum producers to drive future opportunities for new technologies or management practices

Provide bench mark information that will help the sorghum improvement research in planning and designing tailored activities

Identify key points of entry for potential technological interventions along the sorghum value chain

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What are the roles and responsibilities of men, women, boys and girls in sorghum production in major sorghum growing areas of Ethiopia?

Question 1:

What are the main aspects of sorghum utilization? What is the trends of sorghum production in terms of area coverage, production and productivity in the study district?

Question 2:

What are the major constraints that are hindering the production and productivity of sorghum in the study district for women and men farmers?

Question 3:

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

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Legend

LemlemZabangedena

AyubAradomAbuarie

Shilinga 24Nebar Komishega

Bech BechLelisa DimtuArjoTinikeBiftu GedaBurka JalalaHawi Bilisuma

KameleSoroboArfayide

Tigray

Amhara

B/Shangul Gumuz

Oromia

SNNPR

Tigray

Amhara

B/ShangulGumuz

Oromia

SNNPR

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THE APPROACH

Identification of target groups

SORGHUM GROWERS

MHH

MENG1

WOMEN

G2

FHH

WOMENG3

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STUDY SITES Table 1. Number of woredas and villages (summary from reports, August 2017)

No Location No. of Woredas No. of Villages No. of Farmers

1 Assosa ( North West) 1 2 65

2 Bako (West) 1 3 142

3 Haramaya (East) 2 4 84

4 Konso (South) 1 3 90

5 Sirinka (Noth) 1 3 72

6 Shire (North west) 1 2 36

Total 7 17 489

THE APPROACH

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MAJOR FINDINGS

Sorghum is mainly produced for food Food shortage occurs between May to December, and FHHs are more affected Shortage of inputs and extension education of sorghum technologies is critical to

women in general Shortage of labour is more critical to FHHs Cash crops are competing with sorghum and there is indication that sorghum

production is declining (particularly in Bako and Assosa)

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LABOR DIVISION FOR SORGHUM PRODUCTION

Farm activities and labourcontribution is almost similar in all the locations

Mainly Women Mainly Men Mainly Children

• Weeding• Threshing • Winnowing• Transporting• Marketing• Cleaning and

washing• Child care

• Planting• Oxen plowing• Applying

fertilizer• Building and

maintenance

• Bird scaring

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DECISION-MAKING

Men vs. women’s roles in decision-making around sorghum production and usage

Locations Women Men JointlyAssosa ✔Bako ✔Haramaya ✔Konso ✔Mitsebri ✔Sirinka ✔

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TYPES OF LOCAL FOODS PREPARED FROM SORGHUM

The most common food types are: Ingera (fermented bread) Kiata (unfermented bread) Genfo (porridge) Nefro (boiled sorghum) Fendisha (popped sorghum) Tela Local bear Areke Local lequer Kurkufa

Chequa

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PREFERRED QUALITIES OF SORGHUM VARIETIES Women Men• Injera, porridge, local

brew-making quality• Water holding capacity• Milling quality• Easily threshable• Tolerant to storage pests and

drought• Low input requirement

• Grain yield• Stalk yield• Marketability• Early maturity• Tolerance to bird attacks

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Other uses of sorghum Feed for animals Housing and fencing materials Source of fuel for cooking Major source of animal feed (Bako) both stalk and its threshed heads stored and used as feed at critical dry season

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ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES

Major sources of information are Farmer to farmer (Bako. Tahetay) Agricultural development Agents Agricultural Research Institutes

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ACCESS TO EXTENSION SERVICESWe are not part

of any extension training or

credit services.(source: Konso

report)

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TREND ANALYSIS WITH FHHDS BAKO

Yield of sorghum is decreasingdue to change in rainfall (erratic pattern) and lack of inputs (Bako, Konso)

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MAJOR CONSTRAINTS Erratic rainfall pattern Striga and other weeds Disease (Smut, Grain Mold) High costs of inputs Lack of improved seeds Frost Bird attack

Lack of contact with agricultural extension for training and advisory services

Access to inputs and resourcescredit problems

Improved farm tools that can ease work load

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SUMMARY Sorghum is mainly produced for maintaining household food Sorghum production activities are performed by women, men and children Women carry a major portion of agricultural activities and bear almost the

entire burden of household work Women spend more than 13 hours a day on domestic and farm activities

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SUMMARY Women are entirely responsible for preparing and availing food for the

household Food shortages occur from April to July Women have less access to resources, extension services and benefits

from sorghum technologies Women are responsible to generate household income

Example Konso women

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SUMMARY

The focus of the study is not about women only, or tracking women in isolation

It is about looking at how to improve the status of overall household food and nutrition through advancing the focus of future sorghum research

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SUGGESTIONS Intervention on wide use of improved sorghum varieties and trainings on

agronomic practices to women and men

Enhance the consideration of preferred qualities and uses of sorghum for developing or selecting new varieties

Conduct adoptive research on intercropping alternatives

Reducing women’s workloads through introducing labor saving technologies

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SUGGESTIONS Designing sorghum based small-entrepreneurships as sorghum

technologies business modeling for marketing

Further research and service delivery on sorghum processing (quality of grain for food and processing), and marketing strategy

Strengthening linkages with local seed enterprises for their gender consideration

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SUGGESTIONS Strengthening / re-initiating the focus of sorghum research on bird attack

Further studies on water use efficiency (drought tolerant)

Further studies on seed system and service delivery problems

Intervention on improving the construction and maintenance of storagefacilities

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SUGGESTIONS The ongoing program of SMIL on value addition and market access should also

consider improving the qualities local food types and introducing preferredsorghum varieties The short and long term capacity building program ought to focus on including

gender studies in the course to be compulsory for accomplishment Head hunting for potential sorghum technology promoters at village level and

providing short term training to promote suitable sorghum technologies Organizing short courses and demonstration of sorghum products for the

youth at school and community level for faster uptake of technologies

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SUGGESTIONS Initiating action oriented (need based) research interventions are

required in areas like Konso (southern part)

Detailed studies and scientific back up on local foods such as “Chequa” and “Kurkufa” for their sanitation, nutritional status, shelf life etc.

Generally, use region specific need based approach for designing and implementing activities

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LESSONS LEARNT

Team work using multidisciplinary approach that involve different professionals and farmers Application of PRA tool for obtaining base line information in a short time Learning from the field, understanding of farmers (biophysical scientists),

ingenious knowledge, attitude and beliefs Understanding the contribution of women and their multiple responsibilities

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LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Data was collected using FGD and the information is limited to qualitative information at most The information is thus required to be

quantified for further references

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SORGHUM RESEARCH WILL BE MORE REWARDING…

When both women and men can benefit from the technological innovations equally

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

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www.feedthefuture.gov

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