Joint Programme on Gender Transformative Approaches for Food Security and Nutrition (JP GTA): Results from Ecuador

Conventional gender-sensitive methodologies that tend to focus on treating the symptoms of gender discrimination have repeatedly failed to achieve long-standing impacts, which in turn limit the achievement of SDG 2.  Gender transformative approaches (GTAs) seek to challenge and transform the underlying causes of gender inequalities rooted in discriminatory social institutions. FAO provides technical support to country teams and key partners in Ecuador to implement gender transformative initiatives to reduce gender inequalities. 

The JP GTA is working to reduce the gender gap and the specific barriers rural women face in family farming and across the value chain due to discriminatory gender norms, enhancing their economic autonomy (productive capacities and access to services and markets), control over resources and decision-making by improving their individual and collective agency and building an enabling environment through gender responsive policies.    

• IFAD and WFP contributed to the support of the Mesa Mujer Rural, a national roundtable of rural women leaders, working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. 
• An inter-institutional agreement was established between the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion and the Ministry of Agriculture to facilitate the implementation of gender policies.
• FAO collaborated with the local government of Chone to integrate Dimitra Clubs into their programmes as well as support for community and women's groups. 
• FAO worked with the Producers' Organization "Fortaleza del Valle" to conduct a cocoa value chain assessment and collaborated with SIPAE, an agricultural research organization, to support the design of gender indicators.

According to the spheres of action of the JP GTA’s Theory of Change for gender transformative programming the JP GTA involve rural women and their households, including working with men and boys, women´s groups, communities and institutions such as different departments of the MAG. In addition, FAO promoted internally the adoption of Gender Transformative Approaches.

The JP GTA was launched in December 2021 in Ecuador. Its activities were guided by the JP GTA’s Theory of Change for gender transformative programming for food security and nutrition, which is conducive to the achievement of SDG 2. Based on a social norms assessment to identify women´s practical needs and strategic interests, as well as discriminatory gender norms, defined entry points for action to improve women's agency, build more equal power relations and enhance inclusive institution were first identified.

The Programme supported the ‘Mesa Mujer Rural’, a national initiative aimed at promoting the voices of rural women leaders in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG). This Roundtable is in line with the country’s National Agricultural Strategy for Rural Women (ENAMR) and is being operationalized through a roadmap designed to monitor progress on the various policies for rural women.

In collaboration with SIPAE, an agricultural research organization, the JP GTA supported the incorporation of indicators for gender-sensitive data in the national agricultural public information system of the MAG. This will facilitate the monitoring and scaling-up of gender mainstreaming over the coming years in the framework of the ENAMR.

Direct support has also been given to women's groups such as Asociación de Producción Apícola Reinas Obreras and communities through Dimitra Clubs.

• Inclusive institutional engagement: The Mesa Mujer Rural  has become a dynamic platform amplifying the voices of rural women. ENAMIR has developed a roadmap to monitor progress on the various policies addressing the needs of rural women. 
• Data and Monitoring: 23 gender-sensitive data indicators have been developed for the national agricultural public information system of the Ministry of Agriculture, applied across 9 value chains. A dashboard was created to present these results effectively.
• Capacity Building: An e-learning course on gender-transformative and intersectional approaches has been developed for current and future rural extensionists of Ministry of Agriculture, enhancing their understanding of inclusive practices.
• Community Mobilization: 20 Dimitra Clubs have been established in Chone, engaging 500 participants to work towards challenge discriminatory social norms and foster individual and collective agency.
• Economic Empowerment: The women’s group Reinas Obreras achieved economic autonomy, gained leadership roles within their community, enhanced decision-making within households, and redistributed domestic and productive workloads, breaking rigid gender roles. They also adopted climate-responsible practices in honey production.

Overall, these results have lead to an impact on three levels: 

• Institutional: The JP GTA has strengthened collaboration among different departments of the Ministry of Agriculture and with other Ministries, enhancing policy coherence.  Building gender responsive indicators allow for the generation of evidence for policy formulation, and the Mesa Mujer Rural ensures that women's voices influence gender-related policies, all contributing to gender-responsive institutions.
• Community: The programme has enhanced technical capacities, agency and social mobilization to empower individuals and allow for a shift in gender social norms for greater equality. 
• Global: The experience of Ecuador has enhanced the internal capacities of FAO and its partners in using gender transformative approaches to gain long lasting results. The JP GTA has generated and disseminated global knowledge products on gender-transformative approaches, scaling their application beyond Ecuador.

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• Joint Programme on Gender Transformative Approaches for Food Security and Nutrition 
• JP GTA is working in Ecuador  
• Rural Women’s Roundtables
• Dimitra Clubs Forum