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Book (stand-alone)Towards gender-responsive agricultural extension services in Albania
Assessment report
2024Also available in:
No results found.This publication assesses the extent, progress and challenges of providing gender-responsive agricultural extension services in Albania based on the FAO Gender and Rural Advisory Services Assessment Tool (GRAST) methodology. Even though agriculture is an important sector of the economy that accounts for 36 percent of overall employment in the country, informality is high and the engagement of low-skilled rural women in labour intensive activities is significant. Women in the context of family farms, are often considered to be unpaid “farm helpers”. This assessment identifies the key gaps at national, organizational and field levels that hinder the achievement of the relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the country’s progress towards inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems. In particular, the absence of evidence-based and sex-disaggregated data does not allow developing gender responsive services driven by a sound understanding of the gender-specific barriers that prevent farmers from accessing and benefiting from such services. Moreover, the lack of well-articulated and mainstreamed gender and social inclusion policies for targeting and reaching diverse women and men clients reduces progress towards national goals and commitments. Addressing rural women’s access to information, knowledge and services is essential for ensuring gender equality, reaching farm efficiency, sustainability and productivity, and contributing to the enhancement of livelihoods. -
Book (stand-alone)Empowering women veterinary paraprofessionals through gender-responsive training
Lessons learned
2025Also available in:
No results found.Women make up two-thirds of the 600 million low-income livestock keepers globally. Despite their leading role in the day-to-day care of animals, they are severely underserved by veterinary extension and advisory services. Women frontline animal health professionals can be a crucial channel for reaching and addressing the needs of women livestock keepers, particularly in contexts where rigid gender norms restrict women’s interactions with male service providers. Yet, in sub-Saharan Africa, the veterinary workforce remains predominantly male, and women face significant gender-based challenges working in the field. These include pay gaps, conflicting family responsibilities, gender bias, sexual harassment, limited confidence, and insufficient technical training in animal restraint. As a result, many women professionals may shift to safer, more flexible, office-based positions (e.g. laboratory technicians stationed in clinics) or leave the profession entirely, furthering the gender gap in veterinary service access. Two FAO initiatives have developed and tested gender-responsive training packages for veterinary paraprofessionals to enhance productivity for both women and men livestock keepers while promoting capacity building and business sustainability for women and men frontline professionals. This paper provides an overview of how these training programmes were designed and implemented with a cross-cutting gender-responsive approach. It also shares key results, learnings, and recommendations that may benefit other stakeholders interested in integrating gender considerations into veterinary education programmes. -
Brochure, flyer, fact-sheetMaking extension and advisory services work for women 2021
Also available in:
No results found.Women play a key role in agriculture and food security, making up around 48 percent of the agricultural labour force in low-income countries. Despite this, their important contribution is hardly visible and largely unrecognized. Gender equality regards human rights but gender-based constraints in the sector cause also major inefficiencies in value chains, and are a key impediment for rural development, food security, and social and environmental sustainability. Moreover, the severe and multidimensional constraints faced by women hamper their productive potential and livelihoods. Women’s needs for knowledge and support often differ from the services offered, which are typically tailored to a male clientele. Extension and advisory services (EAS) should play a key role in helping women improve their livelihoods by providing services to harness their potential, thus empowering them to escape poverty and participate in decision-making. However, EAS providers often fall short of this goal: services are usually geared towards male heads of household, and only seldom do EAS actors have the skills to effectively support women.
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