Gender & Social Difference
This theme aims to challenge some of the accepted notions about gender and social relations in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our research takes a ‘social relational’ approach – recognising that people operate within different social, economic and political contexts, not as isolated individuals. We are also challenging common framings in policy and practice that equate “gender” with “women”, and put women and men in opposition to each other.
We aim to demonstrate how a social relational approach can change the problem analysis and therefore the policy solutions to changing the status of disadvantaged groups.
Our focus is on processes of change – in particular:
- the circumstances which allow structures to either open or limit access to opportunities
- what kinds of support both women and men will need if they are to benefit from and/or adapt to change.
Latest articles
Women’s collective action: new briefings
May 23, 2014 / Gender & Social Difference Two new policy briefs look at how collective action might help women to be more included in agricultural markets. The first (pdf) examines the potential benefits of collective action, how these vary across contexts, and the challenges for policy. The
Changing the conversation on gender & land
March 31, 2014 / Gender & Social Difference Our conference in Cape Town on 5-7 March brought together more than 100 people from civil society, governments, academia and business to change the conversation about gender, land and agriculture in Africa. Presentations, video, blogs and other material from the
Opening up food security policy for Africa’s women and men
August 2, 2013 / Gender & Social Difference Women are increasingly expected to be at the centre of food security for sub-Saharan Africa. But studies show that women and men engage in agriculture in flexible ways. In a blog post for the Gender and Social Difference theme, Siera
Gender Relations and agricultural research
August 8, 2012 / Gender & Social Difference Christine Okali, FAC Gender and Social Difference theme convenor, will attend two forthcoming meetings on gender and agricultural research in October 2012. The first is an international seminar on 'Gender Relations and Women’s Agency in Rural Environment: What Has Changed,
Video: Different genders, different interests?
May 3, 2012 / Gender & Social Difference How are the interests of young men and women similar or different, from an agriculture policy perspective? What are their priorities? We asked FAC researchers and experts in youth policy and agriculture to address this question, in a series of