I can not but agree with John Weatherhogg analysis that access to drinking water is a critical factor that can free women to assist with more economic activities. Really all forms of domestic drudgery relief should be addressed as a key to economic assistance. I was very interested to note that the original rural mechanization in many parts of Africa was the introduction of maize mills. I think this has totally replace the heavy pounding of maze and other grains. It is sometime more effective to address some of these side issues than concentrating of crop and animal husbandry, most of which is badly compromised.
Please allow me to elaborate on my previous comment and add a few web references. Carefully consider how technology, particularly agronomic technology, is developed and what it does and what it cannot do. Most agronomic technology is developed though replicated small plot trials. These do a very good job of determining the physical potential of an area and technology, but days nothing about the operational requirements, in terms of labor or access to mechanization, to extend that innovation across the rest of the field, farm or smallholder community, with the regrettable assumption that it is not a problem and the only thing needed is a good extension educational program.
Unfortunately, the operational requirements for agriculture production falls into an administrative void between the agronomist and the social scientists. Who in an agriculture development project is responsible to determine the labor requirements the availability of the necessary labor and the rational compromises crop or animal husbandry when that labor is not available? When you accept these short coming in the development effort you can quickly appreciate that smallholder farmers, both men and women, are massively overextended and cannot take full advantage of the technology promoted for their benefit in the timely manner required. There is really a genocide component of our agriculture assistance effort as we try and obligate smallholder farmers to exert over 4000 kcal/day when they only have access to 2000 to 2500 kcal/day. Resulting in limited work days and prolong time to complete any agronomic activity including up to 8 weeks for basic crop establishment.
Thus the critical need across the board is drudgery relief by any means. This will then expedite crop establishment, yield potential and food security for the entire family. As mentioned in the previous comment relieving the domestic drudgery through better access to water, grain mills, easier access to fuel can free up a lot of time for women to become involved in more economic activities either assisting their partners with farm work or other enterprises, but without reduction in domestic drudgery how much time do women have to become involved in economic activities. Unfortunately, the daily need for domestic chores has to take priority over the economic opportunities.
RE: Are agriculture programs supporting women to improve their livelihood?
I can not but agree with John Weatherhogg analysis that access to drinking water is a critical factor that can free women to assist with more economic activities. Really all forms of domestic drudgery relief should be addressed as a key to economic assistance. I was very interested to note that the original rural mechanization in many parts of Africa was the introduction of maize mills. I think this has totally replace the heavy pounding of maze and other grains. It is sometime more effective to address some of these side issues than concentrating of crop and animal husbandry, most of which is badly compromised.
Please allow me to elaborate on my previous comment and add a few web references. Carefully consider how technology, particularly agronomic technology, is developed and what it does and what it cannot do. Most agronomic technology is developed though replicated small plot trials. These do a very good job of determining the physical potential of an area and technology, but days nothing about the operational requirements, in terms of labor or access to mechanization, to extend that innovation across the rest of the field, farm or smallholder community, with the regrettable assumption that it is not a problem and the only thing needed is a good extension educational program.
Unfortunately, the operational requirements for agriculture production falls into an administrative void between the agronomist and the social scientists. Who in an agriculture development project is responsible to determine the labor requirements the availability of the necessary labor and the rational compromises crop or animal husbandry when that labor is not available? When you accept these short coming in the development effort you can quickly appreciate that smallholder farmers, both men and women, are massively overextended and cannot take full advantage of the technology promoted for their benefit in the timely manner required. There is really a genocide component of our agriculture assistance effort as we try and obligate smallholder farmers to exert over 4000 kcal/day when they only have access to 2000 to 2500 kcal/day. Resulting in limited work days and prolong time to complete any agronomic activity including up to 8 weeks for basic crop establishment.
Thus the critical need across the board is drudgery relief by any means. This will then expedite crop establishment, yield potential and food security for the entire family. As mentioned in the previous comment relieving the domestic drudgery through better access to water, grain mills, easier access to fuel can free up a lot of time for women to become involved in more economic activities either assisting their partners with farm work or other enterprises, but without reduction in domestic drudgery how much time do women have to become involved in economic activities. Unfortunately, the daily need for domestic chores has to take priority over the economic opportunities.
Please review the following webpage:
https://webdoc.agsci.colostate.edu/smallholderagriculture/BrinksDrudger…
https://webdoc.agsci.colostate.edu/smallholderagriculture/OperationalFe…;
https://smallholderagriculture.agsci.colostate.edu/integration-an-under…;
https://smallholderagriculture.agsci.colostate.edu/calorie-energy-balan…
https://smallholderagriculture.agsci.colostate.edu/1028-2/
https://smallholderagriculture.agsci.colostate.edu/assisting-smallholde…
https://smallholderagriculture.agsci.colostate.edu/most-effective-proje…
https://smallholderagriculture.agsci.colostate.edu/indirect-enhancement…
https://smallholderagriculture.agsci.colostate.edu/indirect-resource-en…
Thank you