525
Since female and male farmers have different preferences on the sex of extension
worker/lead farmer, imposing an extension worker/lead farmer of the opposite sex
may lead to low or dis-adoption of technologies. Overall, female farmers adopted
fewer technologies and had lower adaptive capacity than their male counterparts.
This implies that interventions on new technologies should include gender analysis
on the level of adaptive capacity. Based on the findings, it is recommended that:
• Government should encourage scientists, in consultation with farmers, to develop
technologies that are cost-effective and labour saving.
• The agricultural extension system should design a programme that particularly
addresses female extension agents and lead farmers to reach out to rural women
smallholder farmers.
• The government and non-governmental organisations should increase access to
loans and credit on agricultural inputs, especially for female farmers.
• The department of extension services should increase training of lead farmers to
ensure that they acquire up-to-date knowledge and skills required in the implementation of CSA technologies.
• Researchers should conduct a gender analysis on levels of adaptive capacity
before introducing interventions on agricultural practices to identify gaps and
constraints.
This is very convincing and well analysed research. The authors should note however that the
technical presentation of figure 2 on page 15 needs to be straightened out. Note that I did some
editing within the figure itself, but the technology of it does not allow for changes to be tracked.
Step two of the adaptive ladder does not show, so I did not do any editing in it.
While the writing itself is very good, there quite a number of typos, which made it necessary for
me to move slowly so as not to miss any.
References
Asfaw S et al (2017) Gender, weather shocks and welfare: evidence from Malawi. J Dev Stud
52(2):271–291
Banda KM, Njikho KV, Malera G, Mauluka G, Mazinga MK, Ndhlovu S (2011, March) Women’s
access to land and household bargaining power: a comparative action research project in partrilineal and matrilineal societies in Malawi. Women’s Legal Resource Centre (WOLREC)
Chirwa E (2005) Macroeconomic policy choices for growth and poverty reduction: access to
land growth and poverty reduction in Malawi. Policy brief. Chancellor College. University of
Malawi
FAO (2017) Climate-Smart-Agriculture Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/climate-smart-agriculture/en/ 11-05-2017
Goh AHX (2012) A literature review of the gender-differentiated impacts of climate change on
women’s and men’s assets and well-being in developing countries. CAPRi Working Paper No.
106. Washington, D.C.: International Food Policy Research Institute. September, 2012
Government of Malawi (GOM) (2016) The National resilience plan: breaking the cycle of food
insecurity in Malawi. Department of Disaster and management affairs
Government of Malawi (GOM) (2013) Malawi labour force survey 2013. National Statistics Office
Government of Malawi (GOM) (2012) National climate change policy. Ministry of Environment
and Climate Change Management
Gender Differentiation in the Adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture Technologies…
Since female and male farmers have different preferences on the sex of extension
worker/lead farmer, imposing an extension worker/lead farmer of the opposite sex
may lead to low or dis-adoption of technologies. Overall, female farmers adopted
fewer technologies and had lower adaptive capacity than their male counterparts.
This implies that interventions on new technologies should include gender analysis
on the level of adaptive capacity. Based on the findings, it is recommended that:
• Government should encourage scientists, in consultation with farmers, to develop
technologies that are cost-effective and labour saving.
• The agricultural extension system should design a programme that particularly
addresses female extension agents and lead farmers to reach out to rural women
smallholder farmers.
• The government and non-governmental organisations should increase access to
loans and credit on agricultural inputs, especially for female farmers.
• The department of extension services should increase training of lead farmers to
ensure that they acquire up-to-date knowledge and skills required in the implementation of CSA technologies.
• Researchers should conduct a gender analysis on levels of adaptive capacity
before introducing interventions on agricultural practices to identify gaps and
constraints.
This is very convincing and well analysed research. The authors should note however that the
technical presentation of figure 2 on page 15 needs to be straightened out. Note that I did some
editing within the figure itself, but the technology of it does not allow for changes to be tracked.
Step two of the adaptive ladder does not show, so I did not do any editing in it.
While the writing itself is very good, there quite a number of typos, which made it necessary for
me to move slowly so as not to miss any.
References
Asfaw S et al (2017) Gender, weather shocks and welfare: evidence from Malawi. J Dev Stud
52(2):271–291
Banda KM, Njikho KV, Malera G, Mauluka G, Mazinga MK, Ndhlovu S (2011, March) Women’s
access to land and household bargaining power: a comparative action research project in partrilineal and matrilineal societies in Malawi. Women’s Legal Resource Centre (WOLREC)
Chirwa E (2005) Macroeconomic policy choices for growth and poverty reduction: access to
land growth and poverty reduction in Malawi. Policy brief. Chancellor College. University of
Malawi
FAO (2017) Climate-Smart-Agriculture Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/climate-smart-agriculture/en/ 11-05-2017
Goh AHX (2012) A literature review of the gender-differentiated impacts of climate change on
women’s and men’s assets and well-being in developing countries. CAPRi Working Paper No.
106. Washington, D.C.: International Food Policy Research Institute. September, 2012
Government of Malawi (GOM) (2016) The National resilience plan: breaking the cycle of food
insecurity in Malawi. Department of Disaster and management affairs
Government of Malawi (GOM) (2013) Malawi labour force survey 2013. National Statistics Office
Government of Malawi (GOM) (2012) National climate change policy. Ministry of Environment
and Climate Change Management
Gender Differentiation in the Adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture Technologies…