The experience conducted with the men and women of Tbaïnia to design and conduct a participatory diagnosis (cf. Annex 4: presentation of the zone and outline of the plan of action) is analyzed on the basis of the following guiding lines, throwing light on the forces and constraints:
· progress on implementation of the diagnosis;
· the method and tools used;
· "gender" information produced at the end of the diagnosis;
· reinforcement of the capacities of the population and personnel of training structures;
· development of the benefits of diagnosis (method, tools and products) in the framework of the activities of TCP and the Ministry of Agriculture;
· measures taken and to be taken to create an institutional environment favourable to the development of a participatory approach integrating gender in the planning of agricultural development.
Preparation prior to meeting the population: the process fixed its first point of stability on a solid base of knowledge concerning the place of women in the exploitation and management of natural resources at national level, and then at regional level. Subsequently, the second point of stability was realized at regional level through knowledge of the zone, the sensitization and information of those responsible for training structures (RCAD and NGOs), as well as training in participatory diagnosis (principles and tools) of the men and women animators who make up the research team. Transfer to the level of population was also prepared. The work team came with a knowledge and spirit favourable to constructive communication between the population and regional and local personnel in charge of development bodies.
Choice of an iterative and retroactive process: as the phases of the process unfolded, the products developed by the population were made known to those responsible for training to provoke a retrospective effect leading to an assessment of the technical, economic and institutional feasibility of the proposals. Besides the opening up of innovative development possibilities put forward by the population, this process of feedback permitted a real involvement in the participatory approach of those in charge. In this way, they contributed by mobilizing their competence in the modification of proposals to render them viable and, in return, widened their vision of development thanks to identification by the population of new openings and original measures.
Creation of an environment conducive to partnership: the process, deliberately conducted in a "zig-zag" fashion, opened up a social dynamic offering a favourable platform for a partnership between population and development institutions. This base for exchange is undoubtedly the privileged context for the design of projects that are compatible with the expectations of the population and coherent with the objectives of agricultural development and sustainable natural resource management policies. Joint assessment (men, women, trainers) of feasible and realistic proposals for action on a local scale is a shared exercise of reflection and decision-making leading to change.
The tools used to apply the methodology in great part encouraged the active and constructive participation of women in all phases of diagnosis and analysis, without apparent social constraints. For the first time, women were mobilized and, as they themselves declared, were able to:
· discuss their problems in an organized fashion;
· reflect together on suitable solutions to encourage their role and enhance their participation as a contribution to development of their zone.
Move from individual to community reasoning: at the start of the participatory diagnosis women had a tendency to express individual and specific needs. This attitude indicates the assistance mentality introduced by development projects. Moreover, this behaviour is more accentuated among men than among women since they have always been the direct target for projects. The progressive introduction of rapid analytical tools (matrices and charts) and access of the population to the necessary information have facilitated reflection on common objectives and problems, while respecting the needs and hopes of different interest groups.
Importance of a vision of the future to stimulate motivation: the identification of development problems to initiate on the basis of a vision of the future (hope) which leads to fixing a plan and agreeing activities capable of giving concrete form to this future. Reflection on what is possible is all the more motivating and encouraging.
Follow a logic of simple reasoning: analysis was progressive and carried out in the image of the logical reasoning of self-evaluation that is spontaneous human reflection: "Why do people want to do that? What stops them? What can be done to settle these problems? What is missing". This form of questioning provokes awareness of the problems and, above all, of the potentialities that encourage self-confidence and collective and reciprocal confidence.
The tools used also led to:
· concentrating the attention of participants on the issue during work sessions and avoiding distraction;
· progressively building up the body of information and choices decided on, thus reducing the risks of contradiction or repetition.
The collection and analysis of data with women and men separately, starting from comparable aids, ratified information (triangulation) and facilitated evaluation of the degree of control over information according to gender.
The results of the diagnosis demonstrate that involvement of women in all phases of the agro-forestry project cycle is fundamental, given:
· the dominance of their agro-forestry activities, despite the lack, if not absence, of recognition and taking into account of their role;
· the importance of their tasks in the implementation and maintenance of agro-forestry production systems;
· the relevance of their perception of development perspectives and change.
Reassert the dominant role of women: information obtained during the collection phase confirmed the importance of the socio-economic role of women in agriculture and the exploitation of natural resources in the forest setting. Much more than men, women try to diversify sources of monetary income. They are prepared to commit themselves to occasional employment and to acquire new know-how, even if work turns them into exploited labour, as in the case of gathering myrtle twigs for distilling companies. The composite calendar (see Annex 5) demonstrates that income sources are multiple, seasonal, sporadic, characteristic of subsistence agriculture and a source of low income, except in the case of animal breeding. Women's incomes are lower and more limited than those of men. The basis of motivations for women's involvement (see Table 3, Annex 5) can be explained by an interest in:
· earning monetary income;
· contributing to meeting the food needs of the family (self-consumption);
· assessing their expertise and existing means.
Create synergy between the views of women and men: comparison of priorities (cf. Annex 5, Charts 1 and 2, matrices of priorities) established by men and women demonstrate great similarity. The men tend however to give their preference to activities "around the home". They also apparently have a wider view of the range of possibilities: to women's proposals they add the planting of cactus. This is an activity that presents a number of advantages: a source of income thanks to the sale of fruit and a complement to beekeeping (melliferous resource), tree cultivation and market gardening (protective hedges). The women favour animal breeding, primary centre of interest, which takes up much of their time. They are in charge of all operations. At the same time, the activities chosen demonstrate their concern for the range of agricultural components. Their perception of the situation is also extremely significative of their interest, in the same way as men, concerning existing constraints and development possibilities in their zone.
Do away with apriorism: in the course of the participatory survey, the initial attitude of men was marked by an under-estimation of the capacity of women and the opportuneness of their participation. Men thought that women could neither reflect together nor provide a significant or interesting contribution. This view was modified in the light of the results of the work carried out by women. Analysis of the problems and identification of productive activities and development measures showed a level of quality and appropriateness as outstanding among women as among men. This was greeted with much astonishment by the men. They integrated and recognized the dominant, even determinant, role of women in the problematic at hand. This recognition did not, however, hide an effect of surprise!..
Support women for equality: a dull note remains: women are unable to express their needs in relation to organizational methods. They do not feel particularly affected. Nevertheless, the creation of a mixed development committee in the zone, started and sustained by the NGO FSDA, testifies to a willingness to involve women, but the role of the committee is not seen clearly by women and their representation is not really assured. However, women can "carve out their niche", express themselves and demand respect for their rights to be full, constructive and effective partners. This reveals the need to design and implement programmes of sensitization, training and animation at all levels: population, development structures (of the State or not), formal and informal organizations.
In the context of all these observations, one can conclude, without risk of mistake, that the advancement of the role of women in development cannot become a reality through projects that are exclusively oriented toward women or through implementation in some so-called "women-specific" activities. Nevertheless, this approach is still carried articulated through different rural development projects even if the evidence shows divergence with the perception of women themselves. Continuing in this direction could contribute to the deep isolation and reinforced marginalization of women contrary to the willingness for women's advancement. This is where the gender approach becomes more relevant and more operational.
At the level of the population
The men and women involved in the participatory diagnosis say they have:
· gained collective consciousness of the constraints and possibilities of development in their zone (learning to recognize the other, the value of joint reflection, personal and collective confidence, etc.);
· had the occasion to express themselves on the development of the zone and thus on "their development", the men as much as the women (process of adapting to change);
· analyzed and ranked, in a reasoned fashion, the problems and solutions to come to a community consensus (men and women) capable of influencing the situation (shift from an assistance mentality to an attitude of self-advancement).
Reinvest revealed capacities: the population complained that their strong mobilization, deep involvement and clear interest in conducting this participatory diagnosis was not followed through to the drawing up of a definitive project. This explains why men and women have proposed that this activity be taken up with the NGO FSDA and DGF. This conclusion is significative of the involvement and willingness of men and women to give their ideas concrete form. This dynamic of community reflection can be appreciated in the partnership launched with the NGO FSDA and in negotiations with development services at the moment of calling for intervention or support.
Accept the changes in act: it is fundamental to bear in mind that every participatory activity carried out implies support for the capacities developed and respect for the consensus achieved, not only by the population but also by development contributors.
At the level of training structure personnel
The participation of the male and female RCAD animator, as well as the animation team of the NGO FSDA, has permitted:
· concrete sensitization of the importance of women's involvement, in the same way as men, in a participatory process;
· practical introduction to the use of participatory diagnosis tools integrating gender.
Follow-up changes in professional practice: taking into account the inexperience of the team in the field of APRM, this participatory exercise represented a first step. However, reinforcement of these first experiences should be envisaged to carry out further research without support. For the male and female animator of RCAD, whose main function is that of popularization, this process also signifies the start of an about-turn in professional practice; it is a move away from the simple dissemination of a technical message in a "top-down" sense toward the setting up of cooperation relationships with beneficiaries to identify needs, the planning of response methods and their implementation.
Besides this participatory analysis in the forest setting, two others were carried out with women in the sector of fishing and irrigated agriculture. The results of these three analyses, both at the methodological level and at the level of the agreed development plan of action, were used for the "Gender and development" training organized by TCP for Ministry of Agriculture officers at central and regional level.
Reinvest results in training and work programmes: the importance of taking account the perception of the population (women and men) in all phases of planning was more easily recognized thanks to concrete and real facts. This way of proceeding had all the more impact because it furnished methodological elements for RCAD officers concerned with the launching of projects based on a participatory strategy, particularly in the field of sustainable management of natural resources.
The results were also presented to those in charge at DGF and the NGO FSDA during an information and sensitization day organized by the national TCP coordinator, with the participation of women and men heavily involved in the diagnosis. A process of dialogue was thus established between foresters and the NGO to give concrete shape, in a shared and planned manner, to the ideas developed with the population.
Stress the effect of coherence due to the participatory process: the results of the participatory analysis carried out in Tbaïnia are consistent with the action objectives of the rural sector for the 9th five-year plan. The involvement of women in increasing and diversifying agriculture and improving natural resource management was developed through:
· deepening knowledge of the contribution of women to production, the development of agricultural and forest products, and resource management;
· the sensitization of women agricultural workers toward their involvement in groupings and in CIAs, and review of methods of access to facilitate their participation;
· generalization of the participatory approach for greater involvement of women in all phases of the project (from identification to evaluation);
· the improvement of mechanisms (tools and methods) of community development and natural resource management programmes for the integration of women.
Conduct participatory research in order to implement projects: the identification of development activities thanks to taking into account the perceptions of the population (men and women) is a fundamental step for drawing up projects based on an integrated participatory approach. This participatory diagnosis must necessarily be followed by planning and implementation of development projects.
All phases of these projects (planning, programming, implementation and follow up-evaluation) should be designed and carried out in a spirit of research-action. Women must be directly and continually involved as active members of organizational structures and as direct beneficiaries of accompanying measures (credit, training, etc.).
Develop a horizontal approach and support: to encourage participatory-based projects and mobilize the necessary supports to guarantee efficient taking into consideration of gender issues, an approach and support at horizontal level must be favoured. Given the diversity of the development fields concerned, it would be opportune to study the possibilities of the setting up and functioning of multi-disciplinary teams within the framework of restructuring under way in RCADs. Each RCAD has at its disposal a team comprising forest district, rural engineering and popularization agents, etc. They should have the task of designing and implementing projects on a regional scale, following an integrated participatory approach that takes account of gender. Such an option would support the current orientation of decentralizing the Ministry of Agriculture to widen the responsibility of RCADs to the entire project cycle.
Promote a structural framework open to equality: the entire work of TCP, as well as the experiences gained during the course of its implementation, lead to the proposal for the setting up of "Gender and development" units at the central and regional levels of the Ministry of Agriculture. The central unit, coordinated by the cabinet of the ministry, would comprise representatives of the Directorate-General for Development Planning and Agricultural Investment (DGDPAI), the Directorate-General for Financing and Patronage (DGFP) and the Agricultural Popularization and Training Agency (APTA). Its main tasks would be to ensure:
· taking women into account in the formulation of sectoral agricultural policy and development programmes and projects;
· evaluation of the impact and effects of development programmes and projects on rural women;
· organization of activities (training programmes, support mechanisms) to reinforce the capacity of Ministry of Agriculture agents regarding gender issues;
· methodological support for RCADs in the design, implementation and evaluation of projects in line with a participatory approach that integrates gender.
The central unit would have functional links to the units set up in the RCADs for the reciprocal exchange of information and training support. The regional units would be multi-disciplinary and their tasks would be to:
· draw up terms of reference favourable to gender issues for identification missions, and formulate the follow up-evaluation of projects;
· define indicators for programme follow-up and evaluation that take gender into account;
· disseminate information about the role of women in the agricultural sector;
· provide methodological support to the women's popularization units of RCADs.
