The experience in Ethiopia demonstrates the validity of training teams of Ministry of Agriculture staff in the use of participatory approaches and tools to learn about activities and resources within different client groups in communities and to further analyse this information using the gender analytical framework. From this it is possible to identify opportunities for development which the Development Agent /MOA woreda office can take up in a gender sensitive manner in extension program planning. The process can be used to identify opportunities for all kinds of client groups (youth, elderly, landless etc.) not just men and women per se.
From this case, there were also many lessons learned about how to support an experiential learning process. Due to this and to the participatory way in which project planning took place, there were a number of outputs which were not envisaged in the project document. These included the training of staff in extension program planning, and the workshops held towards the end of the project lifespan at zonal level. It is the author's opinion that there is no end to the experiential learning process. Thus it is most likely that by the end of the proposed second phase of the project, the client-oriented approach will have developed much further as a practical planning tool.
At this stage it may suffice to put forward a few suggestions for those wishing to support participatory approaches to gender-responsive agricultural development planning.
· Avoid marginalization of any initiative by gender-blind decision makers who may equate "gender" with "women" and attempt to slot the program into a possibly under-resourced Women's Division from where it would be difficult to influence the mainstream - mostly male - extension services.
· Ensure that such decision makers are fully aware of the objectives of the program and the intended outcomes in relation to production and male, as well as female, rural clients. Consider including a component covering gender sensitisation of policy and decision makers at all levels.
· Employ an experiential learning mode in the program whereby trained staff implement the approach then step back, analyse, review and improve it before implementing again in the improved manner (i.e. an action-reflection-action cycle).
· Use a training of trainers system to best build up capacity and ensure sustainability of the program.
· Consider including methods of raising gender awareness amongst the participating rural clients. Only then will they make the most of gender sensitive agricultural planning.
· Establish strong links with local and national agricultural research stations, especially with their farming systems or farmer participatory research sections if present. This will be useful in solving some of the agricultural constraints being faced by clients.
· Try to avoid raising expectations amongst rural clients through involving them in sharing and analysing their development constraints. In addition, try to address their constraints as soon as possible after completing participatory studies so that they do not feel their time and effort was wasted. Encourage a sense of ownership amongst rural clients so that they draw up a development plan which they themselves can implement to address some of their constraints.
· Lastly, remember that there are strong economic arguments for the use of gender analysis in agricultural development planning. There are too many cases to recount in which funds have been wasted on projects which have failed due to gender-blind planning. The use of gender analysis in planning ensures the right clients are reached to the greatest effectiveness.
