GENDER COMMUNICATION INTERPLAY APPROACH IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF GENDER FRIENDLY FARM MACHINERY IN SELECTED AGRICULTURAL AGENCIES IN THE PHILIPPINES

Abstract

This study describes the gender sensitivity principles in a form of communication be applied in the development of gender-friendly farm machinery. The study includes an assessment of the engineer respondents towards their exposure to gender related topics. The study was conducted in selected agricultural agencies such as Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), Philippine Sino-Center for Agricultural Technology (PhilSCAT) at Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija, and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) at Maligaya, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija. Furthermore, to assess the opinion of the end-users to the agricultural machinery, the study was conducted to endorsed areas that adopted these technologies. The analysis of gathered data took place at Central Luzon State University, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija. The researcher conducted this research from June to December 2018. To strengthen the claims of the study, interviews were conducted to achieve its objectives. The result shows that the engineers of PhilMech, PhilSCAT, and PhilRice have seldom exposure to gender-related topics, and some exhibits unfamiliarity with other terminologies used. The engineers’ sex, age, and civil status revealed to be significant in their exposure to gender-related topics. Generally, men farmers are more exposed to the identified agricultural machinery than women farmers who remain uninformed about controlling agricultural machinery. Today, women farmers are hindered towards information and equipment accessibility. Gender disparity in the agricultural sector remains a problem but farmers agreed that there must be machinery that can be easily manipulated by women which is push-button, lightweight, height considerate, easy to fix, riding type, and economically affordable.