1Gender and Land Use and Soil Management Projects

Ghana Environmental Management Project (GEMP)
How to Mainstream
Gender Equality in
MODULE 1
Soil Management ProjectsSoil Management Projects
Land Use andLand Use and

IntroductiontotheModule
These modules are for government staff of the ministries and departments related to
Environmental Protection, Environment, Science and Technology, Food and Agriculture,
Gender, Children and Social Protection; District staff, planners and Gender Desk Officers;
NGOs, CBOs, women's groups andcommunityleaders.
Themodulescovereachofthesix themesoftheGhanaEnvironmentalManagementProject:
Module1: Landuseandsoilmanagement
Module2: Wildlifeandbiodiversityconservation
Module3: Energyresourcemanagement
Module4: Waterresourcemanagement
Module5: Managementofvegetativecover
Module6: Alternativeandsustainablelivelihoods.
Contents
Introduction to the Module....................................................................................................................2
Gender, Land Use and Soil Management ...............................................................................................4
1. Problem Identification ................................................................................................................4
Gender Issues..................................................................................................................................4
2. Project Design .............................................................................................................................5
Project Logic Model: Gender, land use and soil management.....................................................6
3. Project Implementation..............................................................................................................8
Case Study 1: Prevention of soil erosion and improvement of soil fertility for maize cultivation
by women in block farming.............................................................................................................9
Case Study 2: The day the trees disappeared in Duuyin.............................................................10
Case Study 3: Kanpuo: Oasis in the Desert.................................................................................13
Case Study 4: Kanpuo community adopts environmentally- friendly technologies..................14
4. Project Monitoring ....................................................................................................................17
Indicators......................................................................................................................................17
5. Project Evaluation.....................................................................................................................18
Monitoring and Evaluation Tools ..................................................................................................18
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Despite many agencies' commitment to gender equality, gender mainstreaming in project cycle
management has been limited. Some pay attention to gender during Problem Identification,
and at certain points of the Design and Monitoring phases. To truly mainstream gender in
sustainable land management projects, each phase of the project cycle needs to be linked with
appropriategenderanalysistoolsandkeygenderquestions.
Eachmodulecontainsadviceonhow tomainstreamgenderthroughtheprojectcycle:
1. ProblemIdentification
2. ProjectDesign
3. ProjectImplementation
4. ProjectMonitoring
5. ProjectEvaluation
You can use these materials to assist you to go through the planning cycle with staff, district
stakeholders and communities to ensure that the gender issues of inequity are really being
addressed by interventions for gender and sustainable land management. Each section
contains key questions and examples to assist you to design, implement and monitor gender-
sensitiveprojectswithstakeholdersandcommunities.
Project Design
Project Monitoring Project
Implementation
The
Project
Cycle
Project
Evaluation
Problem
Identification
2

Gender,LandUseandSoilManagement
Problem identification involves understanding the problems, needs and opportunities related to
gender and sustainable land management. It should take into consideration environmental
policy, current technologies, ways of working with communities, and considerations for
transformingexistinggenderrelationsofpowerandcontrol.
When you are identifying a problem related to gender and sustainable land management,
answerthefollowingquestionstoensurethatgenderequalityismainstreamed.
1. Has relevant gender information, especially socio‐economic information, been
identifiedandcollectedso thatitcanbeincludedindiscussions aboutprojectdesign?
2. Is backgrounddatadisaggregatedby sex?(In manycases,disaggregationby othersocial
identities such as age and ethnic origin is also required, given that communities are
rarelyhomogeneousunits.)
3. Have gender specialists (in the CBO or NGO, for example) and representatives of
women's organizationswithinthecommunitybeenconsulted?
4. Have both men and women been involved in problem identification (even if the ultimate
problemrecognizedaffectsonesexmorethantheother)?
Here is a list of some of the issues of gender inequity (gender issues) related to land use and soil
management:
1. Womengenerallyhaveaccesstoland,butcontrolandownershipoflandis limited
2. Women'saccesstolandisoftenlimitedtomarginalorinfertileplots
3. Women'saccesstotechnologiesis limited,andoftendifficultforthemtouse
4. Women do have access to extension services, and thus, lack skills and farming practices
forlandresourcemanagement
5. Womenhaveinadequateaccesstoandcontrolofinputs(credit,capital,seeds, fertilizers,
labor,protectiveclothing,etc.)
6. Socio-cultural norms are changing, but women are still disadvantaged in their access to
andcontrolofresourcesandbenefits,andabilitytotakedecisions.
The following is a short description of the major gender issues of inequity related to land use
andsoilmanagement:
Cultural norms perpetuate gender based inequalities in access to livelihood assets (Land, water,
credit, capital, income and technology) in division of labour. There are various levels of
vulnerabilities of women and men and their ability to meet livelihood needs. This informs
different coping strategies in land degradation and desertification. Involving women in
discussions on land resource management plans and incorporating their perspectives, needs
and priorities has been lacking. Security of tenure issues for rural poor women and men farmers
is a major challenge to enhancing livelihoods. Besides, the clearing of land is customarily
1. ProblemIdentification
GenderIssues
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assigned to men. These practices afford men the opportunity to use and control land and has
prevented the majority of women from securing control over virgin land belonging to their
lineage(KoteyandTsikata,2000).
Women tend to take less fertile land close to the community because of their domestic
workload. They also lack the necessary inputs to invest in long-term land improvement.
Women's cropping activities in Northern Ghana contribute to soil infertility; however, this is
not recognized because of their limited access to extension and new technology. There is a
significant lack of skills in land resource management, and this negatively affects the rural poor,
particularly women. There are imbalances between men and women ownership rights, division
of labour and incomes.The main challenges encountered by the women are low soil fertility, the
absence or inadequate extension services, inadequate farm inputs and the fact that some
technologiesdonotfavourthem.
Encouraging good farming practices to improve soil quality, providing farming inputs and
particularly targeting women's plots as part of soil improvement strategies and adopting
information, education and communication strategies to tackle the negative effects of socio-
cultural norms on women's empowerments will go a long way to improve women's access to
andcontroloverdevelopmentresources.
An excerpt from: Gender Equality Strategy and Action Plan to Combat Drought and
Desertification in the three Northern Regions of Ghana (GESAP), developed in 2011 by the
Environmental ProtectionAgency, in conjunction with the Ghana Environmental Management
Project.
2. ProjectDesign
Within the framework given by your agency or organization, or sometimes by your funder's
request, you will need to identify objectives and the activities that will enable you to achieve
expected results. The Project Design stage is the most important when it comes to integrating
the gender dimension into the project. You can apply all the information obtained from your
gender analysis in order to plan based on real information concerning the lives of the male and
femalebeneficiaries.
When you are choosing expected results and activities for your project, answer the following
questionstoensurethatgenderequalityismainstreamed.
1. What is the current situation of men and women in the area of your planned
intervention?
2. Willtheproposedprojectcontributetoexistinginequalitiesamongmenandwomen?
3. Does the proposed project break down or challenge existing inequalities among men
andwomen?
4. Will the proposed project change the perceptions or stereotypes about men and women
andtheirrolesinanyway?
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5. Whatoptionsshouldbeconsideredtostrengthenagenderperspective?
6. Will the proposed project contribute to women's empowerment? If not, is there place for
an allied intervention that will contribute to empowerment, so as not to reinforce the
disparitybetweenmenandwomen?
Once you have decided on all the expected results and activities for your project, you can
summarizetheminaLogicModel:
· The Ultimate Outcome is the overall goal of the project, which contributes to national-
levelaimsandpolicies.
· The Intermediate Outcomes are the expected results related to changes in your
organizationorgroup,anditssystemsorprocesses.
· The ImmediateOutcomes are the expectedresults relatedto changes in individuals, their
knowledgeandawareness,skillsorabilities,oraccess.
· Outputs(orcompletedactivities)leadtooutcomes.
Therefore it is important that you implement your activities as planned, based on gender
analysis. Ifyoudo,youwillcertainlyachieveyourexpectedresults.
The expected results and activities listed in the logic model below are examples for you.
Depending on the funds you have, you may want to implement only a few of the activities
representedinthisLogicModel.
ProjectLogicModel: Gender,landuseandsoilmanagement
Theme LAND USE AND SOIL MANAGEMENT
Ultimate
Outcome
Strengthened mainstreaming of gender considerations in issues relating to
community-based activities necessary for the reduction and reversing of land
degradation and desertification. Gender Equality Strategy and Action Plan
↑ ↑ ↑
Intermediate
Outcomes
Increased women’s use of
innovations and
technologies for land use
and soil management
Enhanced decisions-making roles for women in
community institutions
↑ ↑ ↑ ↑
Immediate
Outcomes
Increased women’s access
to skills, knowledge and
resources for land use and
soil management
Increased knowledge of
community members on
gender and land use and
soil management
Increased involvement by
Traditional leaders,
MMDA government staff
and local government
officials in implemented
gender-sensitive policy
and programmes for land
use and soil management
↑ ↑ ↑ ↑
Type of
Activities to
be
· Sensitization
sessions held for
women on
· Sensitization
meetings
organized with
· District
Assemblies
engaged to
implemented
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in order to
achieve
results
procedures to
access credit
· Women’s farmer
groups linked to
financial institutions
to access credit or
community credit
schemes to
purchase farming
inputs
· Women trained on
record keeping and
sustainable
resource
management
· Women trained to
invest in other
ventures (eg.
processing) to
increase their level
of income
· Women extension
volunteers
introduced
· Women’s farmer
groups trained on
high-yielding crops
and soil fertility
methods
· Labour saving
technologies, eg.
donkey traction,
introduced
· Women farmers
trained on
appropriate land
resource
management by
planting trees,
compost making,
bonding, etc.
· Credit in-kind
scheme for animal
droppings to
manure (guinea
fowls, fowls)
· Women trained on
friendly agricultural
husbands and
land owners on
the need to
release portions
of their land to
women and
increase the
land tenure
period
· Sensitization
and awareness
forums held for
women’s
groups, land
owners,
Tindanas on the
need to include
women in
strategic land
resource
planning and
management
within their
various
communities
· Sensitization
forums
organized for
chiefs, land
owners,
Tindanas,
women farmers,
men and
magazia, etc. on
the needs to
release fertile
land for women
farmers
· Continuous
education
undertaken for
community
members to
influence the
inheritance
system so that
women can
equally own and
formulate rules /
policies that give
women the
opportunity to
own and control
land
· Women farmers
linked to forestry
officials by MOFA
in collaboration
with DAs to
release land for
farming purposes
(Tonghe farming
system)
· MOFA staff are
provided with
incentives for
working with
women’s groups
· More women
recruited and
trained as
extension agents
to reduce the gap
in service
provision for
women farmers
· Stakeholders
(traditional rulers,
land owners,
tindanas)
consultations held
on women’s
access to land us
6

practices such as the
use of knapsack
sprayers and
appropriate use of
agro-chemicals and
Integrated Pest
Management
Ÿ Workshops held with
women's groups to
design and re-design
user-friendly
technologies for
women
Ÿ Introduction of
“women's crops, such
as soybeans
control land resources
· Study tours conducted
to “success story”
communities
· Continuous
sensitization on the
need for women
to have access to land
via radio, drama and
TV
3. ProjectImplementation
Implementation is the major phase in the project cycle, when plans are transformed into reality.
Implementation involves using your resources to implement activities in order toachieve the
expectedresults.
When you are implementing the activities for your project, answer the following questions to
ensurethatgenderequalityismainstreamed.
1. Arewomenandmenbenefitingfromtheproject? Inthesamewayordifferentways?
2. Aresomewomenormennegativelyimpactedbytheproject?
3. Have gender relations (power and control) of women and men changed as a result of the
project?Havegendergapsbeenreduced?
4. Arenewgenderissues ofinequityemergingwithintheproject?
5. Are there new external factors affecting gender relations besides the project? Are they
positiveornegative?
6. Are women and men both supportive of the project, or do they wish to change it? Who?
Why?How?
What follows are some case studies about project activities. Ideally, it would be great if your
staff and stakeholders, including community members, could visit the communities described
in the stories. However, these case studies are the next best thing to visiting. Each case study
shows how womenandmenare:
· participatingintheproject
· sharingprojectresources
· sharingprojectbenefits
· changingtheirlivestogether
· experiencingempowerment.
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After each story, there are a number of questions to answer. Read (or translate) the story to your
staff, stakeholders or community members. Lead the discussion based on the questions listed
after the story. This will assist your staff and stakeholders to visualize the types of changes that
they should expect, and allow them to discuss the implications for their own work and lives.
They may want to implement a similar project. Similarly, their discussion of the story may
inspirethemwithnewideasfortheirown projects.
Your staff and stakeholders should understand that exciting things related to gender and
sustainable land management are happening in northern Ghana. They too can be part of it!
Theycantransformgenderrelationsthroughsustainablelandmanagementprojects!
In Bongo District in the Upper East Region, women who are involved in block farming
activities do not have access to and control over suitable and fertile land to cultivate maize
which, is a heavy feeder of soil nutrients and requires more water. Women are therefore at a
disadvantage with regards to maize cultivation since they lack the requisite land. Since men
controltheland,widows areataparticulardisadvantageinaccessingland.
In Nyariga community, five women, including widows, were trained in the use of an A frame
instrument to pick contours on the stony and infertile land that they acquired from their men.
Afterwards,they formed contour earth bunds and applied farm yard manure on the field, which
they used to cultivate maize. Using these technologies was something new to women – using
theA-frameandbundingisusuallydonebymen.
At the end of the season it was realized that the bunds controlled soil erosion, conserved
moisture and fixed nutrients. This resulted in better yields – each woman had 5 bags of maize!
This had never happened in their lives – usually the most they got was just 1 bag.The women are
now able to adequately feed their families until the next harvest season. The hunger gap has
beenbridgedandfoodshortageshavebecomethingsofthepastforthewomen.
Case Study 1: Prevention of soil erosion and improvement of soil fertility for maize
cultivationbywomeninblockfarming
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This technology was special, since the men saw that this time women can also cultivate maize
and have equally good yields. Most farmers who attended the field days conducted by MOFA
expressed surprise and promised to adopt the technology next season.As a result, more women
registered their groups with the officer in-charge of the area, so that they can cultivate maize
nextseasonas partofblockfarmingactivities.
To prevent soil erosion and improve soil fertility on marginalized farms,women will implement
contour bunds and use manure.The lesson learnt by all, is that farmers should adopt improved
agricultural practices taught to them byAgricultural extension agents to improve their farming
andalsoraisetheirlifestyleandstatus.
The solution to the problem of women not having control over ownership of fertile land should
be tackled by increasing extension activities to reach more women.More female extension
agents are needed to reach out to the women farmers. With adequate technology and support
given to women, they can solve the problem of the marginal land allocated to them by their men,
andhouseholdfoodsupplywillbesecured.
Writtenby
GraceAnafo
MOFA–Bongo
Questions forDiscussion:
1. Do women have access to and control of their own land? What type of land? What size?
Whereisit?
2. Whydon'twomenjusthelpthemenontheirland? Whydotheyneedtheirown land
tofarm?
3. The story mentioned that widows are affected. What are the gender issues of inequity
thatspecificallyaffectwidows andland?
4. Whatnewskillsdidwomenlearn?
5. Are women able to use theA-frame with ease? Are there any ways to make theA-frame
easierforwomentouse?
6. Withinthecycleofmaizeproduction,whatarewomen's andmen's traditionalroles?
Do womenhaveparticularroles,suchasindigenousknowledgeorspecialskills
relatedtomaizeproduction?
7. How does the story show that gender roles have changed? How have the roles and tasks
changed? Has thewaythecommunityvaluesthoserolesandtaskschanged?
8. Whatnewchannelsforcommunityinvolvementopenedupforwomen?
Duuyin inTamale District, Northern Region became a GEMPcommunity in 2008. It thrived in
the 1960s with a rich diversity of plants and wildlife, and they were able to do many economic
activities to prosper. In the 1970s, the people decided to cut down all the trees and burn the
grass. The land was completely clean and clearedup -- they could see right through to the next
village! By removing all the vegetation, the people did not realize that anything could go
wrong.
However, as time went by, they noticed that the wind would sail through the village blowing
away everything in its path. The rain would fall so hard that the soil started to erode – “the land
was going out.” It became difficult to grow crops and to live as they used to. They missed the
trees. Theydidnotrealizethatitwas “dangerous”toridthelandoftrees.
CaseStudy2: ThedaythetreesdisappearedinDuuyin
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They did not know what to do because they had a traditional belief that if a man or woman
planted a tree they could come to harm or even die! This was because it was believed that when
planting the tree, the person would bury their own shadow in the hole. But they had no choice.
To avoid harm, they decided to plant the tree in the name of their ancestors. Eventually, they
saw that no harm came to them. They followed the example of other communities which had
startedtoplanttrees.
They planted trees every day, especially in the evening when it was cool. Each household was given
treestoplant. Theyplantedthesetypesof trees:
· Cassia
· Leucenea
· Albizia
· Eucalyptus
· Cashew
· LocalMango
· Kapok
· Mahogany
· Pawpaw
· DawaDawa
· Sheanut.
Thewomendidbetterthanthemeninplantingmoretrees,so theywon prizes.
The community started a big tree nursery by the dam. They have five acres along the side of a stream,
and they fenced it off so that they can protect their 50,000 seedlings. Seven communities benefit from
the nursery. They give some of the seedlings away, and also sell some. In fact, the University of
DevelopmentStudiesis oneof theirbestcustomers.
The nursery project required some heavy work. The women joined the men to ensure that the project
was a success. They didn't want to give all the jobs to the men, because they knew that the project
would help both of them. Men and women usually have separate roles in tree planting, but in this
projecttheywereflexible. Traditionally,menwoulddigtheholes,andwomenwould carryandplant
10

the seedlings. But in this project, they both helped each other with all the tasks. Women
supported the men to water the seedlings, and men remarked that some women are even
stronger than they are! Really, the women felt that if they didn't take responsibility, they would
be the “losers” more than men. The women needed the trees to come back -- they needed trees
forfirewoodandfortheireconomicactivities,likedawadawa,andsheanuts.
Even though Duuyin has a large nursery, the people still do not have the firewood they need.
Trees takes 3-4 years to grow before they can be harvested for firewood. The people learned
that as soon as they cut one tree down, they need to replace it by planting another. They also
learned that if they plant trees, shrubs and flowers, they could create wind breaks to protect their
houses.
Because women and men worked together on the nursery, they experienced a new sense of
unity. No longer do men take decisions without involving women. They discovered that both
men and women have something to contribute. So when they earned 480 Ghana Cedis from the
sale of seedlings, they decided how to use it together. They built a kitchen shed for the school
feeding programme at the school! Men and women of the community are providing their
childrenwithagreatexampleofhow tomanageandsharetheirnaturalresources.
1. Why do you think that the people of Duuyin cleared the land in the 1970s? If you were to go
back to those days, what types of decisions were made about cutting the trees and burning
the grasses? Who made these decisions and why? Do you think that there were differences
inopinionsbetweenmenandwomen?
2. Why did the women say that if they didn't take responsibility, they would be the “losers”
morethanmen?
3. What are women's and men's traditional roles in tree nurseries? Do women have particular
roles,suchasindigenousknowledgeorspecialskillsrelatedtotreenurseries?
changed? Has thewaythecommunityvaluesthoserolesandtasks changed?
7. How didwomenandmenwork togethertomakethetreenurseryasuccess?
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CaseStudy3: Kanpuo: OasisintheDesert
When visitors approach Kanpuo, they are struck by what looks like a dense forest with many
treespecies. How canitbe?–Agreenforestinthemiddleofadryanddustyland?
In the time of their grandparents, residents of Kanpuo, in Upper West Region, had fertile land.
But they burned and exploited the land until it was bare and completely infertile. There was
nothing for them anymore and the children moved away. Only the elderly were left to scrape
theland,ifonlysomethingwouldgrow.
Visitors came from the Ministry of Agriculture, but they did not listen to them. As time
went on, the people of Kanpuo became more desperate and, when field agents came from
the Environmental Protection Unit, they decided to take them seriously.
They planted trees – many different types. Now they have shea nuts and dawa dawa for
commercial purposes. The women used to have to go to the BlackVolta for grass and wood, but
now they have everything they need. Even neighbouring communities seek permission to fetch
wood andgrass fromKanpuo.
With all they need nearby, women have more time for water and soil conservation activities.
They do more composting for better crop production. They reinforce their stone lines, and start
new lines in other places. They want to expand the area of fertile land for their children and a
goodfuture.
Immediately they stopped bush burning. They started stone lining and ridging to prevent run-
off. Composting allowed the soil to recycle its nutrients. When it rains, the water seeps into the
soil, nourishing it and keeping it soft and easy to cultivate. Grasses, medicinal plants and
indigenous vegetables sprang up from the springy soil. Now they can grow millet, sorghum,
maize and yam. They used to eat once a day, but now they eat three times a day! Children can
snack whenever they want because there are so many fruits and nuts for them to forage.
Hospitalvisitsarefewerbecausechildrenarebetternourished.
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1. The story says that when the land was completely degraded, the children went away. Where
did the young men and women go? What did the young men do? What did the young
women do? What are the implications for a community when its “children” go away? What
arethegenderissues?
2. Women used to have to go to the Black Volta for grass and wood. Now they can fetch them
right in their community. What changes have women experienced in their lives, now that
theydonothavetogototheBlackVolta?
3. What are women's and men's traditional roles in land use and soil management? Do women
haveparticularroles,suchas indigenousknowledgeorspecialskills?
6. From this story, we see that women are involved in heavy work along with men. How did
men and women come to agree that they should share in the heavy work? Do you think that
anyone was opposed to women doing heavy work? If possible, could you think of any type
oftechnologythatwouldmakethisheavywork easiertodo?
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CaseStudy4: Kanpuocommunityadoptsenvironmentally-friendlytechnologies
Kanpuo is a typical northern savannah subsistence farming community situated 3 miles south
west of Lawra in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The community has a population of 850
people. Lawra District has the poorest agricultural soils in the entire country, and Kanpuo is no
exception. In most parts of the district,maize harvests averagehalfa maxi bag per acre in the best
ofseasons.
In 1998, the women and men of Kanpuo took a bold decision to improve their soils and also
regenerate their environment. They set up a committee made up of 5 women and 10 men, and
set off to implement the concept of non-bush burning – anidea they borrowed from the Goziiri
communitylocated18milesnorthofLawra.
In 2008, the EPA, under the Ghana Environmental Management Project (GEMP) and with the
assistance of CIDA, reorganized the Kanpuo Non-bush Burning Committee into the Kanpuo
Community Environmental Management Committee (CEMC).The Committee is currently
made up of 25 members, comprising 15 women and 10 men. The chairperson and treasurer of
thecommitteearewomen.TheCEMCpromotes:
· Non-bush burningtoprovidefeedforcows duringthedryseason
· Stonelining
· Halfmoonandzaimoistureretentionseedbeds
· Compostmakingwithfarmresidue,dungandash
· Compost-appliedfields
· Inter-cropping
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Furthermore, they have a trained community fire-fighting brigade with an effective drill for
community bush fire management.
Presently Kanpuo has one of the best managed community reserves. With diligence, discipline
and commitment, the people have nursed the area through non-bush burning, the construction
of fire belts and strict adherence to their home grown rules and regulations on environmental
management.Through natural regeneration the Kanpuo reserve now has rare fruit trees, birds,
small game and sufficient pasture for their animals and those of surrounding communities
As a result of the introduction of the use of compost on stone lined half-moon and zai seed beds,
in 2012, the community harvested 8 maxi bags of maize per acre. This was a commendable
improvement on their previous yields. In addition, soil quality tests carried out by SARI
(SavannaAgricultural Research Institute) showed a 50% improvement in quality as a result of
the compost applied to farm fields.They credit their achievements to the men and women in the
village,andtheirabilitytounderstandwhatwas atstakeandcooperatetomakethechanges.
So next time you are in the Upper West Region, you might wish to extend your environmental
tourism schedule to Kanpuo.There, the men and women of the community, led by their CEMC,
will take you through their community reserve. You will most certainly find fruits, birds,
rodentsandbutterflies,whichafewyearsagowerenon-existent,butnow haveafertilehabitat.
Reportby Kwaku Baawineand JeffreyMakin,REMC: UpperWest Region
1. There are seven activities mentioned in the story. On which activities do women take
thelead? Men? Why?
2. Do you think that in the past, women would have shared the tasks in activities such as
stonelining? Whyorwhy not?
3. What are women's and men's traditional roles in community reserves? Do women have
particularroles,suchasindigenousknowledgeorspecialskills?
6. The original CEMC had 5 women and 10 men, and the current CEMC has 15 women
and 10 men. Why do you think that the composition of the committee has changed over
theyears?
8. How do you think women and men worked together to make the community reserve a
success?
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4. ProjectMonitoring
Indicators
The progress of a project has to be monitored to ensure that the expected results are happening.
Think about some of the changes you read about in the case studies and in your own
projects.Many of the changes are related to the environment and, at the same time, related to
gender.
An important way of monitoring whether a project has mainstreamed gender and transformed
gender relations is to use gender-sensitive indicators. Gender-sensitive indicators will let you
know whether there are changes in gender relations – women's and men's dynamics of power
and control. Here are some features of gender relations that should change after implementing
aprojectongenderandsustainablelanduse:
· participationinprojectsandcommittees
· awareness,knowledge,skills
· decision-makingpowers
· rolesandresponsibilitiesinthehousehold,communityandleadership
· how roles,tasks,resourcesarevalued
· accesstoandcontrolofprojectresourcesandbenefits
· accesstoandcontrolofhouseholdandcommunityresourcesandbenefits.
All this information should be sex-disaggregated, so that differences between men and women
can be highlighted and inequities addressed. Sex-disaggregated data presents information
separatelyforwomenandmen,andasrequired,boys andgirls.
When you are monitoring a project, answer the following questions to ensure that gender
equalityis mainstreamed.
1. Does themonitoringplaninviteinputandfeedbackfromwomenandmen?
2. Aregenerateddata,analysisandreportssex-disaggregated?
3. Aregenderindicatorseffectivelyusedandassessed?
4. Does monitoring consider both women's and men's roles (even if those roles are
different)?
5. Is progress towardobjectivesandexpectedresultsrelatedtomenorwomenontrack?
6. Have any gender issues of inequity arisen that were not identified at the project design
stage? If so, how cantheybeaddressed?
Here are some examples of gender-sensitive indicators for gender, land use and soil
management. You can use these and others that you develop to assess whether your project is
ontracktochanginggenderrelations,roles,responsibilitiesandhow theyarevalued.
16

5. ProjectEvaluation
MonitoringandEvaluationTools
At the end of your project, you will want to evaluate whether it has been successful – in
achieving its goals for sustainable land use, and toward gender equality. Evaluation should be
as systematic and objective as possible. Therefore, tools are developed to collect gender-
sensitive and sex-disaggregated data. These tools can be used at the end of the project, but also
atthebeginning(baseline)andmid-pointtoassess progress overtime.
Here are some examples of gender-sensitive tools for gender, land use and soil management. If
you use these tools at the beginning, middle and end of your project, you will see changes in
how men and women have access to and control over resources; and in their roles and
responsibilities. You may also discover some changes in gender relations that you did not
expect! You should determine whether these are positive and progressive changes, or negative
and counter-productive. When it comes time to designing a new phase of your project or even a
brand new project, take these lessons into account to ensure that your project will implement all
activitiesnecessarytopromotegenderequality.
A. Household SurveyQuestions
Gender-sensitive indicators for Gender, Land Use and Soil Management
1. % of women with access to credit vis-à-vis men
2. % of women participants in block farming groups; or # of women’s-only farmers
groups
3. # of new women Agricultural Extension Agents; # of new women extension
volunteers
4. # of women using new labour saving devices
5. Level of knowledge of women/men of land resource management techniques
6. Acres of land released by men to women for longer use
7. % of women/men who have access to fertile land
8. % of women/men benefitting from inheritance system
1. Who owns the land that the family
cultivates?
Husband
Wife
Uncle
Tindana
Chief
Family Head
2. Who decides on which
lands to cultivate?
Husband
Wife
Jointly
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Technology Adopted by Men Adopted by Women
Contour bunding
Compost making
Zai technique
Half moon
Contour ploughing
The use of animal traction
4. Who implements land improvement technologies?
Expenditures Men Decide Women Decide Jointly
Farm inputs
School fees
Housekeeping / food
Medical
Leisure (pito)
Clothing
Funerals
Other
Other
Technology Men’s Decision Women’s Decision
Contour bunding
Compost making
Zai technique
Half moon
Contour ploughing
The use of animal traction
3. Who decides on which technologies to use?
5. What are the sources of household income?
Source Earned by Men Earned by Women
Farming
Livestock
Shea nut processing
Dawa dawa processing
Soya bean processing
Petty trading
Others (specify)
6. Who decides how to spend the household income?
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B Focus Group interview questions with women involved in the project
1. Do you think the time spent on collecting fuel wood has changed in any way? What
accounted for the change? What role do men play in fuel wood collection? If there have
been changes, how havethey impacted on productive (business) and reproductive
(household) roles?
2. Do you think there have been any improvements in soil fertility and how has it affected your
yield? Do women have access to extension services for soil fertility improvement? To what
extent has this contributed to yield increases? What can be done to increase women`s access
to soil fertility improvement technologies?
3. Do you think women's access to fertile land has improved? To what extent has women
access to fertile land changed? What do you think has contributed to this change and what
do you think can be done to improve upon the current situation?
4. Do you think the level of income of women has changed? To what extent has it changed?
How has it affected their roles and level of involvement in decision making?
C. Focus Group interview questions with men involved in the project
1. What do you think of men's decision to allocate fertile land to women for cultivation? What
has been the impact (income, level of participation by women in decision making, soil
fertility improvement, etc)?
2. How has the involvement of women in community matters changed? In your opinion, do
you think it is beneficial?
D. Group interview questions with CEMC Executive
1. How many men and women make up the executive body? (sex disaggregated data)
2. How many sub-projects has been approved for women and implemented by women? How
has it impacted on their livelihoods?
3. Have there been new technologies introduced? Were they women friendly? What is the
adoption rate by women?
E. Observation Guide at Project Site (list of what to look for)
1. Compost pits built
2. Woodlot establishment
3. Sustainable Land Management technologies adopted (contour bonding, stone lining)
4. Use of donkey traction by women
5. Cover crop or crop rotation on demonstration farms
This is the end of this module. Best wishes as you mainstream gender, empowering women and
men in sustainable land management projects.
19

1Gender and Land Use and Soil Management Projects

1Gender and Land Use and Soil Management Projects

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