Smartphones are boosting gender equality in Georgia and beyond

Nestled in the vast plains of Georgia, in the shadows of the snow-covered Caucasus mountains, Malika Machalikashvili’s farm in Pankisi Gorge was once pretty traditional. She and her family shared the day-to-day work of caring for the livestock and poultry, gardening the vegetables and taking care of the hazelnut orchard, along with a few fruit trees and berry bushes. She used to bring the produce to the local market or sometimes even the one in the country’s capital, Tbilisi. Today, on top of the farm’s new additions, such as a greenhouse and modern irrigation, perhaps the most novel change is that she now sells her produce using a smartphone.  

For the last three years, Malika has been attending FAO trainings, which are financially supported by the European Union. These practical trainings, provided through Farmer Field Schools, teach smallholder farmers about better agricultural practices. Farmers learn by doing with practical work in demonstration plots and farms. These platforms have also proved very useful for teaching rural men and women about gender equality, gender-based violence and women’s economic empowerment.