RIPAT approach and gendered technology dissemination: insights from small-scale farmers’ groups in Tanzania
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Date
2023
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Mkuki na Nyota Publishers Ltd
Abstract
The efforts to improve agriculture sector performance in Tanzania have
not been very successful. The poor performance of the sector is attributed to
among other factors, the ungendered process of agricultural technology
development and dissemination. This review chapter contributes to the
ongoing debate about gender responsiveness of agricultural technology
dissemination approaches. While 40% of the agricultural Labour force
in sub-Saharan Africa comes from women, it is unfortunate that most
agricultural technologies and practices are masculine coupled with
gender insensitive dissemination approaches. Therefore, improving
agriculture sector productivity through technology adoption calls for
the development of a gendered approach to technology dissemination.
RIPAT is a participatory extension approach that aims to close the
agricultural technology gap as a means of improving livelihoods and
self-support among rural small-scale farmers. While empirical evidence
demonstrates the approach to be successful in addressing among others the gap in agricultural technologies adoption by smallholder farmers it
is not well documented on the extent to which the approach integrates
the gender aspect in its dissemination of technologies and practices.
The chapter is based on desk review where various gender studies were
reviewed to establish gender sensitivity of the agricultural technology’s
dissemination approaches. The RIPAT handbook manual was used as a
guiding document for assessment. Results show basket of options
through RIPAT approach has created fairness on access to inputs
though options are gender influenced. Farmers adopting agricultural
technologies have 17% probability to be food secure throughout the
year and able to save and loan in their farming groups. However, across
countries, the difference between men and women in productivity
rates range between 4 – 25% due to multiple socio-economic factors.
Active participation of female farmers in farmer groups may encourage
disseminating gender responsive technologies. The RIPAT approach
considers the household as a single unit where both members participate
equally in decision-making while there are a lot of dynamics in the
household decision making process. A gender-responsive approach
suggests that equal benefit in agriculture starts from the design and
application of technologies so that equity in access to resources and
efficiency in productivity of both men and women can be recognized
and addressed.
Description
Book Chapter
Keywords
Gender responsiveness, Technology, Agriculture, RIPAT, Tanzania