Inclusion Problems and Prospects: Introducing Gender in Agricultural Research and Education

Abstract

Inclusion of gender concerns in agricultural development has gained global recognition over the latter half of the twentieth century. Though India is committed to mainstreaming gender in agricultural development, the educational and research systems of agriculture in the country are quite slow and passive in accepting and including a curriculum for gender orientation and gender analysis competence. The related systems of rural development of late have started to consider the technological needs of women for poverty alleviation. But the need for a generic orientation on gender equality and human rights perspectives in agriculture among the personnel at the cutting edge, in the educational institutions and research, remains largely unattended. This chapter presents the initiatives in capacity building for gender analysis, technology development, technology transfer and curriculum development attempted by the Centre for Gender Studies in Agriculture and Farm Entrepreneurship Development of the Kerala Agricultural University. The analysis of these innovations illustrates the problems of and the potential for including gender in the curriculum and research agenda of agricultural universities in India. It points out policy decisions for inclusion required in this context.