Gender and Development

Bangladesh

Northwest Crop Diversification Project

The agriculture sector plays a pivotal role in the economy of Bangladesh since it is the largest employer and producer. Although food crop production has increased in the country as a whole over the last three decades, the Northwest region has lagged behind with limited diversification into high value crops (HVCs).

Rural women play an important role in agricultural production and food security in Bangladesh. Women on small-scale farms work in all activities from seed production to harvesting, and also manage grain storage and processing and homestead fruit and vegetable production.

Objectives and Scope

The Bangladesh: Northwest Crop Diversification Project aims to increase incomes for poor, small-scale men and women farmers through HVC production. According to the Department of Women’s Affairs, 11-15% of the households in the Project area are headed by women. The Project will be implemented under the following components:

• Farmer Training and Extension. This will be offered to the Project Executing Agency, Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), and NGO staff and farmers interested in HVC production and marketing. About 200,000 farmers will be trained in new cropping opportunities.
• Farmer Mobilization and Credit. Four NGOs with extensive experience will form farmers’ groups for training and credit. About $16 million in credit will be given to about 160,000 farmers.
• Adaptive Research. New HVC technologies will be studied and trials undertaken with the help of research organizations.
• Marketing Support. Farmers will be given timely information on HVC prices, availability, and market potential. Village markets will be renovated and constructed with display and storage facilities.
• Pilot Agribusiness Credit Line. A total of $1 million will be provided to Rangpur Dingajpur Rural Services (RAKUB) in anticipation of agribusiness expansion to support HVC production as well as activities like cold storage, feed mills, packing and packaging, seed processing and storage, and specialized transport needs for HVCs.
• Support for Project Management. A technical assistance team in the project management unit and a project implementation unit in each implementing agency will provide support.

Gender-Inclusive Design

The National Action Plan for the Ministry of Agriculture and its gender and development (GAD) principles were taken as the framework for these GAD initiatives under the Project:

• Identify profitable/suitable HVCs for women
• Support increases in income
• Promote entrepreneurship among women’s small farmers’ groups (SFGs)
• Build confidence and self-esteem among women
• Advocate and conduct research on GAD and HVCs
• Mainstream gender at the institutional and program levels

A brief gender strategy was prepared during Project design. It provided for the recruitment of a gender consultant during Project implementation to undertake an in-depth gender assessment, and develop a detailed gender action plan (GAP). The ADB Bangladesh Resident Mission (BRM) gender specialist assisted with the development of the GAP.

Capacity Building of Partners and Farmer Training. Training and extension services will be provided to farmers through NGOs under a three-tier training program. First, a core group of trainers will be trained on GAD issues. Second, DAE and NGO staff will be trained to use the training modules. Third, farmers will be trained. Venues and times for training workshops will be suitable for both men and women. Gender-sensitive training modules on improved technologies have been developed and will be used for selected HVCs in the areas of production, pre- and post-harvest management, and marketing. Sixty percent of the participants in all training and extension services will be women.

Mobilization of Small-Scale Farmer Groups and Provision of Credit. Women will form 60% of the farmers’ groups. Training will be provided on group activities, new technologies, and promoting women’s leadership skills. Expertise in processing HVCs will be facilitated for women. Prior to issuing credit, the Project will ensure that all the beneficiaries have been trained. Ten percent of production loans will be earmarked for women SFGs, and 10% of the family credit will be given to women for income-earning activities.

Adaptive Research in HVCs (varieties and technologies). The data bank will include information on suitable HVC varieties and technologies for women, and trial activities will include both women and men. Extension services will be provided to both men and women for the tested HVC varieties and technologies. The target for women’s participation is 30%.

Marketing Support for the Promotion of HVCs. Women will be assisted in marketing their products with marketing information and facilities. An improved marketing system will be adopted to promote HVCs, and information will be disseminated via radio to beneficiaries, including women. The project will collect, collate, and disseminate information on HVCs on demand. Sixty growers’ markets at the upazila level and 16 growers’ markets at the district level will be developed with separate toilet and storage facilities for women SFG members. Marketing support will also be provided to women through partnership with other agencies and NGOs.

Pilot Credit Line for Post-Harvest Agribusiness Support. SFG members will be supported to establish post-harvest agribusinesses through the pilot credit line. At least 5% of the entrepreneurs will be women.

Project Management Support. The Project allocated resources for a gender consultant for 6 months to focus on

• preparing a gender strategy based on an assessment of gender divisions in production activities in the Project area
• preparing a detailed GAP
• organizing a workshop for all senior staff and consultants to approve the final GAP and be acquainted with expected gender activities in the Project
• integrating gender into the Project training modules and training of the DAE gender focal point to institutionalize the knowledgebase on GAD issues

Gender-based data collection as well as implementation, monitoring, and reporting of GAD activities will be ensured by the collaborative efforts of the short-term gender consultant, gender focal point at DAE, and BRM gender specialist.

Guidance on GAD Activities and Implementation Results

At the beginning of Project implementation, the BRM gender specialist met with DAE to discuss the need to develop a GAP with specific interventions at all levels. This was particularly important as the gender consultant was only hired on a short-term basis. A workshop held in October 2003 with all senior staff and consultants finalized the GAP. The BRM gender specialist recommended the appointment of a full-time gender consultant or a DAE gender focal point to coordinate and ensure the implementation of all gender activities of the Project. The Project has undertaken these studies to assist in the implementation of its GAD activities:

• needs assessment of gender-friendly technologies (2004)
• rapid assessment of gender status (2005)
• study on role of women in HVC production, processing, marketing and utilization of credit and training (2006)

Gender has been considered as a crosscutting issue in all the Project components. Female Project beneficiaries participate in most activities of HVC production. Due emphasis was given to gender balance in group formation and women as beneficiaries. The Project has shown clear improvement in the empowerment of female beneficiaries in the decision-making process of the rural families and control of resources. The table summarizes the results under the Project’s GAP as of January 2007. Highlights include:

• 45% of farmer leaders who have been trained in HVCs in improved production, pre-post harvest management and marketing technologies were women
• women received 56% of credit disbursed for crop production
• women comprised 40% of participants in adaptive research trials for field problems
• motivational training programs are being put in place to improve women’s entrepreneurship

In 2005, an ADB-funded Benefit Monitoring and Evaluation study was undertaken by the Agricultural University of Mymensing. The study shows that, as a result of various gender-related initiatives under the Project, remarkable indirect benefits have contributed to women’s empowerment:

• In HVC production practices, moderate to very high levels of involvement of female beneficiaries were noted in variety selection, sowing/planting, harvesting, and processing and storage. Combining all these practices, women’s participation was quite high (24% had ‘very high’ and 31% had ‘moderate’ participation). While variety selection is linked with knowledge improvements due to training, other group activities resulted in field level participation by female farmers. Female beneficiaries’ spatial mobility has thereby broadened far beyond their relatives’ homes due to visits to NGO offices and participation in Project training programs and other Project-related work.
• The decision-making power of the female members both in HVC production and household operations has improved considerably. In about 49% of cases of HVC production, decisions were taken jointly by the husband and wife showing a healthy trend. In focused group discussions in HVC production, as high as 77% involved joint decisions by the husband and wife.
• Female beneficiaries’ land ownership increased by 21%, cash savings increased by 37% and jewelry assets by 57%.
• There are clear indications of better income generation due to Project interventions and effective utilization of income for permanent asset development. As a result, female beneficiaries’ social status and economic empowerment have improved. 72% of the women respondents surveyed in 10 upazilas mentioned that their household and social status have improved after their involvement in Project activities.
• Unlike common experience elsewhere, the credit money received by the female beneficiaries was utilized by the women themselves. The crop production credit money in majority of the cases (54%) remained under ‘self custody’ of the female beneficiaries. Similarly, in 37% of the cases, income from HVC cultivation remained under the women’s control. Thus, due to effective contribution to family income, women’s economic empowerment has become a reality in the Project area. The social implications of such positive changes are quite significant and encouraging.
• Relations between husbands and wives have improved after their involvement in Project activities. Husbands are giving more care and respect for their wives, supporting their household work and needs for medical care. Domestic violence against female beneficiaries have also reduced remarkably.

Overall, there has been an immense improvement in women’s lives which is visible in the female Project beneficiaries’ outlook and communication. The women are confident, mobile and economically empowered.