COMESA Strategic Framework – Mainstreaming Gender in

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)

REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR

MAINSTREAMING GENDER IN AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Strategic Framework

2011 - 2015

COMESA Strategic Framework – Mainstreaming Gender in agriculture and climate change: 2011 - 2015

Strategy and Strategic Action Plan Page 1 of 63

Contents

List of Acronyms ......................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... 4 Foreword .................................................................................................................... 5 Executive Summary ................................................................................................... 8 A. Background ........................................................................................................ 13 B. COMESA, Gender, Agriculture and Climate Change ......................................... 13 C. The COMESA Gender Policy ............................................................................. 16 D. The COMESA Gender Policy in Agricultural Development. ............................... 16 E. Climate Change and Agriculture in the COMESA Region .................................. 18 F. Engendering Agriculture and Climate Change in the COMESA Region ............ 19

F.1 Drivers for engendering agriculture ......................................................... 21 F.2 Gender dimensions of both climate change adaptation and mitigation in

the agricultural sector .............................................................................. 22 F.3 What is the way forward? ........................................................................ 23

G. The Regional Strategy and Action Plan ............................................................. 25 H. Mainstreaming Gender in Agriculture and Climate Change ............................... 30 G. Youth and RESTRAP on Gender, Agriculture and Climate Change .................. 31 H. Framework for a Strategy for Mainstreaming Gender in Agriculture and Climate

Change .............................................................................................................. 32 I. Thematic Areas .................................................................................................. 53

I.1 Thematic Area 1: Policy and Advocacy. .................................................. 53 I.2 Thematic Area 2: Capacity Building. ....................................................... 54 I.3 Thematic Area 3: Institutional Framework. .............................................. 57 I.4 Thematic Area 4: Building and Strengthening Strategic Partnerships. .... 58 I.5 Thematic Area 5: Information, Communication and Publicity. ................. 59 I.6 Thematic Area 6: Research, Innovation and Technology. ....................... 60 I.7 Thematic Area 7: Resource Mobilisation. ................................................ 62 I.8 Thematic Area 8: Monitoring and Evaluation ........................................... 63

J. Implementation Strategy .................................................................................... 64 J.1 Communication Strategy ......................................................................... 64 J.2 Linkages with Development Partners ...................................................... 64

K. Summary of Consultations Undertaken in the Development of the Strategy: .... 65 L. Bibliography ....................................................................................................... 69 M. Annex I: Implementation Strategy ...................................................................... 71 N. Annex II: List of institutions and Individuals visited and consulted ................... 114



List of Acronyms:

ACTESA Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa

AfDB African Development Bank

AFOLU Agriculture, Forestry and other Land Uses

AGOA Africa Growth and Opportunity Act

AGRA Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa

AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

ASARECA Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa

AU African Union

CA Conservation Agriculture

CAADP Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme

CAP COMESA Agricultural Programme

CBO Community Based Organisation

CC Climate Change

CCCI COMESA Climate Change Initiative

CDM Clean Development Mechanism

CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

CFU Commercial Farmers Union

CGIAR Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research

COMESA Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

COMRAP COMESA Regional Agricultural Inputs Programme

CSA Community Supported Agriculture

CSO Civil Society Organisations

DAW UN Division for the Advancement of Women

DFID Department for International Development

DRR Disaster Risk Reduction

DSAP Development of Sustainable Agriculture in the Pacific (…Project)

EAC East African Community

EAFCA East African Fine Coffees Association

EAFF East Africa Framers Federation

EDF Equality and Diversity Forum

ENGO Environmental Non Governmental Organisation

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

ESA Eastern and Southern Africa

ESADA Eastern and Southern African Dairy Association

ESASA Eastern and Southern Africa Seed Alliance

EU European Union

FANRPAN Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network

FAO Food and Agricultural Organisation

FEMCOM Federation of National Associations of Women in Business in [the] Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

GDD Gender Disaggregated Data

GDP Gross Domestic Product

GEF Global Environment Facility

GIZ The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)



GmbH (German International Cooperation)

GOS Global Observing System

HIV Human Immune Virus

ICP International Cooperating Partners

IFA Impact Focus Areas

IFPRI International Food Policy Research Institute

ILRI International Livestock Research Institute

IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

LPG Liquefied Petroleum Gas (cooking gas)

MDG Millennium Development Goal

MOU Memorandum of Understanding

MS Member States

N/REWU National and Regional Early Warning Units

NAMA Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions

NAPA National Adaptation Plan of Action

NASFAM National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi

NEPAD New Partnership for Africa’s Development

NGO Non Governmental Organisation

PACJA Pan African Climate Justice Alliance

PATTEC Pan-African Tsetse and Trypanosomaisis Eradication Campaign

PPP Private / Public Partnership

REC Regional Economic Community

REDD Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation

RESTRAP Regional Strategy and Action Plan

RUFORUM Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture

SACAU Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions

SADC Southern African Development Community

SAPs Strategic Action Plans

SIDA Swedish International Development Cooperation

SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

UNCCD The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme

UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

USAID United States Agency for International Development

WASAA Women in Agri-business in Sub Saharan Africa Alliance

WFP World Food Programme

WTO World Trade Organisation



Acknowledgements This document was prepared under the leadership of Mrs Emiliana F. Tembo, Director, Gender and Social Affairs at the COMESA Secretariat. The drafting of the document was managed by David Lesolle, with the technical guidance of Ms Maria D. N. Phiri (Programme Officer, Gender and Social Affairs, COMESA); with contributions from Andjouza Ahamada (Social and Cultural Affairs Officer, COMESA); Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga (Regional Programme Coordinator, Southern Africa/UNEP); Cindy Holleman (Regional Emergency Coordinator for Southern Africa, FAO); Daniel M. Bwalya (Project Accountant, COMESA/USAID Programme); Frederick B. M. Msiska (Regional Coordinator, Guiding Investments for Strengthening Agriculture Markets in Africa Programme, COMESA); Gertrude Kara (HIV Gender and Nutrition Officer, Regional Emergency Office for Southern Africa, FAO); Gordon Jerenyama (Finance Officer, COMESA); Jemimah Njuki (Scientist, Poverty and Gender Group, International Livestock Research Group (ILRI); John Mukuka (Seed Development Expert, ACTESA/COMESA); Julius Mathende (ACTESA/COMRAP Programme Manager, COMESA); Lewis Hove (Regional Conservation Agriculture Coordinator, FAO); Mainza Mugoya (Programme Officer, East African Farmers Federation - EAFF); Manyewu Mutamba (Analyst, SACAU); Mclay Kanyangarara (Climate Change Advisor, COMESA); Mithika Mwenda (Coordinator, Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA); Ndeye Rosalie Lo (Advisor, Gender Parliamentary Affairs and Civil Society Organisation, NEPAD); Sam Kanyarukiga (Senior Agricultural Advisor/CAADP Coordinator, COMESA); Sinya Mbale (Conservation Farming Unit); Stéphanie Aubin, (Technical Assistant, Policy Development, SACAU); Thierry Mutombo Kalonji (Acting Director, Investment Promotion and Private Sector Development, COMESA); Tshilidzi Madzivhandila, (Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator, FANRPAN); and Yuven Gounden (Communications and Advocacy Manager, FANRPAN). The team’s contributions to the drafting of this document are gratefully acknowledged. For more discussions on the consultations, see paragraph 17.



Foreword 1. This document presents the Strategic Framework for mainstreaming Gender into Agriculture and Climate Change for the period 2011 to 2015 for the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). It promotes an alignment with the COMESA Agricultural Strategic Framework (2010 – 2015), the Framework for the COMESA-EAC-SADC Climate Change Programme; and the Vision of COMESA. 2. The COMESA region is the largest of the eight Regional Economic Communities under the African Union and is coordinated by a Secretariat which facilitates development and implementation of policies and programmes by Member States. The Secretariat is guided by the COMESA Treaty - an instrument developed by Member States and endorsed by the COMESA Authority, which is comprised of all Heads of State and Government of the Member States.

3. The COMESA Gender mainstreaming strategy and action plan will focus on implementing the COMESA Gender Policy and the HIV/AIDS Strategy as guided by the provisions of the COMESA Treaty, specifically Articles 154 and 155, Authority Decisions, Council Decisions, recommendations of Ministers of Gender and Women’s Affairs as well as the COMESA Business Summit. Mainstreaming gender activities in COMESA will translate into results based on the Council of Ministers decision to develop a programme with special emphasis on addressing the disadvantages faced by women. 4. In order to achieve this, a two-pronged approach has been adopted to ensure the acquisition of skills for programme managers, key stakeholders, to empower the FEMCOM and women entrepreneurs and to ensure their full participation in regional integration activities. COMESA has embraced the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) as the vehicle to realise its vision in the agricultural sector, taking into consideration the challenges resulting from increased climate variability consequential to global warming and climate change. The Secretariat’s Agricultural Strategic Framework is therefore fully consistent with the overall strategy and aspirations of the region, which seeks to achieve food security, assume a common agricultural policy and increase agricultural productivity of crops, livestock, fisheries and forestry in line with the COMESA Treaty of 2004 as a vehicle towards regional integration. Further, the region aspires to produce surplus food and alleviate the need for food imports. 5. The strategic framework is a guiding tool for the Secretariat and its development partners to support efforts of achieving the objectives established by stakeholders in agricultural activities in the region. It has been developed to help the COMESA Secretariat position itself adequately to respond to the region’s demands for achieving these objectives.

6. The Secretariat is committed to harmonizing and enhancing efforts of development partners, agri-business and other stakeholders in agriculture to efficiently and effectively create impact on the region’s agricultural systems. Support to small holder producers will be of paramount importance in the strategy to achieve this objective.



7. This strategic framework is based on three strategic priority areas: Expanding Agricultural Markets, Increasing Adoption of Technologies, Improving the Enabling Policy Environment, and six strategic functions. This strategy is the framework for executing programme activities of the Secretariat that will be funded through a number of donors but largely hinging on existing Secretariat agriculture and climate change programmes and projects, including those of other regional institutions. 8. The implementation of the regional strategy for mainstreaming gender in agriculture and climate change will mainly be undertaken by the Secretariat’s agriculture and the climate change programmes, implementing partners and co-operating partners. Those will be facilitated by the Gender and Social Affairs Division, as necessary, to attain improved regional food security, increased climate resilience and integration for the entire region through improved trade in agricultural products from a gender perspective.

Figure 1: Strategic Framework – Relationship between Agriculture and Climate Change: Programme of work in COMESA – implemented at national and

regional levels



9. It is hoped that this plan will inspire the COMESA specialised institutions and co-operating partners and enable them to continue to provide assistance for the benefit of the people.



Executive Summary 10. The key role played by women in agriculture was in the past largely unacknowledged in government statistics and decision-making. All the same, women are known to produce two-thirds of the world’s food. In general, women provide at least 50–60 percent of the labour input.1 Due to a rise in the number of female-headed households as substantial numbers of males migrate to cities, more women are becoming functional heads of both households and farming activities. Additionally women are also widowed due to HIV related deaths particularly in Southern Africa. This is the scenario in most developing countries. 11. With the rapidly growing populations, resulting in a continuous increase in the demand for food and commercial crops, the empowerment of women through the provision of training in managerial skills, appropriate technology and resources must receive priority in agricultural development programmes. This is important if programmes are to contribute significantly to economic development and the reduction of poverty and achieve climate smart agriculture especially with the advent of global warming and climate change. 12. These challenges necessitate that agriculture in the COMESA region undergoes a significant transformation in order to meet the related challenges of achieving food security and responding to climate change. As a result, much has been achieved in giving recognition to the importance of women in the agricultural sector. The COMESA region has made several achievements including adopting a gender policy, establishing the Federation for Women in Business in Eastern and Southern Africa (FEMCOM), and implementing a comprehensive Gender Mainstreaming Strategy and the Action Plan (GMSAP). These lay the foundation for empowerment of women, youth and people living with HIV/AIDS. The empowerment of women engaged in farming is gathering pace. However, these recent advances are sometimes under threat from many factors including the drive to commercialise agriculture. 13. Gender mainstreaming is the current international approach to advancing gender equality and equity in society. At the level of national government, it involves incorporating a gender perspective into all policies, plans, programmes and projects to ensure that these impact on women and men in an equitable way. This strategy seeks to assist the RECs, Member States, communities and other partner organisations in mainstreaming gender in agriculture. In so doing, it applies a gender perspective to the COMESA agriculture programme and considers climate change challenges. This means examining conditions in the sector as they relate to women, men and youths. It means examining how policies and external forces impact on the lives of women and men differently. Gender mainstreaming – in the broader sense must also consider and recognise that youths constitute a major workforce in the COMESA region. 14. The COMESA region is young and growing. The population has been growing at an average of 3 percent per year and this will continue to put pressure on

1 Source: African Development Bank, ADF: The Gender Policy, p15, 2001; Facts and figures on

Gender and Climate Change. www.unifem.org/partnerships/climate_change/facts_figures.php and www.un.org/womenwatch visited 20th November 2011

http://www.unifem.org/partnerships/climate_change/facts_figures.php

http://www.un.org/womenwatch



COMESA’s ability to be food sufficient. COMESA is not satisfied by the fact that the past three decades have seen a slow rise in agricultural production of 1.9 percent2 and there is therefore a need to draw on the youths as a workforce to contribute to the growth of the agricultural sector. 15. Recent policy dialogues on the future of food and farming point to the fact that it is not just the youths who have an aversion to farming (Future Agricultures Consortium – Ethiopia). Their parents often hold the same view, preferring their children to move away from rural areas entirely because they associate rural life with poverty. The growth in the number of youth in agriculture needs to be supported. Most youths do not consider farming as an attractive area of work and the few who do, see a future for a “youth friendly” agriculture being one that is mechanised and with more technical inputs.

16. Agriculture must therefore offer full time employment and incomes. It must apply training and education principles and be facilitated through appropriate financing and technologies, recognising the risk associated with climate variability and climate change. 17. The advantage of a gender mainstreaming approach is that it allows for the advancement of gender equality and equity regardless of whether it is women, men or youths who are disadvantaged and whose position needs to be addressed. This strategy identifies areas where there is a potential to optimise performance of the COMESA agricultural programme and highlights activities that may be undertaken to increase participation of women and youths in policy making and planning and access to credit and technology. 18. In line with several global trends including the Beijing Platform for Action, adopted at the UN Fourth World Conference on Women held in 1995, the COMESA Secretariat has moved the debate forward and identified priority areas where action should be focused to achieve measurable gains. These include agriculture and climate change: an increase in women’s role in power sharing and decision making; and promoting gender equality in the food production systems and in safeguarding the environment. This way, COMESA will address sustainable development; ensure household and national food security and a comfortable livelihood for rural women.

19. The overlap with gender concerns is obvious: the feminisation of poverty has meant that rural women and the poor, who might be thought of as two different disadvantaged groups, are actually often one and the same. The full participation of NGOs, community based organisations, co-operating partners and the women is central to this approach. Indeed, there are encouraging signs that women are in many cases leading this movement. The challenge is to harness these energies to complement government efforts. 20. The Draft Regional Strategy on Mainstreaming Gender into Agriculture and Climate Change identifies the overall strategic objective as follows: “To facilitate and

2 Source: AfDB/COMESA; COMESA Agricultural Marketing Promotion and Regional Integration

Project p16 chap 2.2 www.comesa.int visited 20th November 2011

http://www.comesa.int/



promote climate-smart agricultural policies, structures and programmes to promote gender equality and equity towards sustainable development by 2015”.

21. The eight strategic objectives are as follows:

a. Promote and advocate for gender equity in agriculture and climate change policies, programmes, systems and structures at the regional and national levels.

b. Strengthen/build capacity of policy makers, field workers and farmers on approaches to integrating gender in climate change, and agriculture.

c. Strengthen linkages between RECS and national institutions responsible for gender, agriculture and climate change at regional and national levels.

d. Create and strengthen strategic partnerships and tripartite relations, at international and regional levels; including private/public partnerships.

e. Establish an information management system focusing on gender, agriculture and climate change.

f. Promote gender-equitable research supporting climate-smart agricultural technologies.

g. Mobilise resources to implement the strategic framework at the regional and national levels.

h. Develop and institute a monitoring and evaluation framework that addresses gender, agriculture and climate change.

22. Many issues have emerged as being of particular significance including access to land and water resources; access to credit and other support services; gender and agricultural extension and research; gender, agriculture and commercialisation; as well as women’s empowerment and equal access to decision-making. 23. The activities and the monitoring and evaluation framework for engendering agriculture and climate change have been developed and these are anchored onto the eight objectives. The achievement of the objectives will translate into enhanced food security with elevated agricultural production systems and stabilised output. Even in the face of the climate risks, there should be improved incomes and livelihoods as a result of the resilience of women, youths and other low-income households. This will, however, require transformations in the communication strategies and management for higher efficiency in the use of resources and inputs for production. 24. Transformation is needed in both commercial and subsistence agricultural systems, but with significant differences in priorities and capacity. In commercial systems, increasing efficiency and reducing emissions, as well as other negative environmental impacts, are key concerns. Transforming small holder systems and engendering agriculture is important for food security, for poverty reduction, as well as for aggregate socio-economic growth. The strategy recognises that:

a. Effective climate-smart practices already exist and could be implemented with minimum adjustments to the current in-country agricultural systems.



b. Adopting an eco-system approach, working at landscape scale and ensuring inter-sectoral coordination and cooperation is crucial for effective climate change responses.

c. Considerable investment is required in filling data and knowledge gaps and in research and development of technologies, methodologies, as well as the conservation and production of suitable varieties and breeds.

d. Institutional and financial support will be required to enable small holders,

particularly for the many young, would-be farmers to facilitate their entry into climate-smart agriculture.

e. Strengthened institutional capacity will be needed to improve dissemination of

climate-smart information and coordination over large areas and numbers of farmers, especially women-led farming communities and organisations.

f. Greater harmonisation between agriculture and climate change policy-making

must be achieved at national, regional and international levels. This will ensure that the full cycle from production to marketing is developed.

g. Available financing, current and projected, is insufficient to meet climate

change and food security challenges faced by the agricultural sector.

h. Combining financing from public and private sources, as well as that earmarked for climate change and food security is imperative to meet the investment requirements of the agricultural sector.

25. These strategies are inter-linked and all require social change that needs substantial political support if the limitations of economic and social growth are to be overcome. Given the extensive participation of women and other groups including low-income men-led households, in all aspects of agricultural production, the mainstreaming of gender into the agricultural sector is the overarching strategy not only for the promotion of equality between men and women, but also for sustainable agricultural and rural development and economic growth in the region. 26. The gender mainstreaming strategy focuses on the fact that women and men have different production and reproduction life courses; and that development policies affect them differently. Its focus is less on providing equal treatment for men and women (since equal treatment does not necessarily result in equal outcomes) and more on taking whatever steps are necessary to ensure that men and women benefit equally. It recognises that the empowerment of women can only be achieved by taking into account the power and social relationships between women and men. 27. Substantial funding will be required for training to increase gender awareness and increase the capacities of staff and extension workers to carry out gender analysis as well as to develop appropriate climate and agricultural information. The establishment of strong and effective institutional arrangements for gender mainstreaming, such as Gender Focal Points in the Ministry of Agriculture within the Member States, will also require funds.



28. This contribution to bringing a gender perspective to bear on the agricultural agenda is not intended as a rigid template. It is rather a roadmap of the activities that will assist the region achieve a sustained reduction in poverty and at the same time achieve food security and improved livelihoods.



A. Background 29. COMESA’s 2025 vision is to create a fully integrated, internationally competitive regional economic community, characterised by economic prosperity demonstrated by high living standards of its populations as well as political and social stability; a community where goods, services, capital, and labour move freely across the geographical borders. Having established the Customs Union in June 2009, the next step to achieving this vision is to establish a common market, and an economic community. COMESA’s target is to double per capita income and halve the number of poor people through a steady expansion of its regional economy at an average growth rate of 6-8 percent per year. 30. The ultimate mission of COMESA is to achieve sustainable economic and social progress in Member States through increased co-operation and integration in all fields of development, particularly in trade, customs and monetary affairs, transport, communication and information, technology, industry and energy, gender, agriculture, environment and natural resources 31. Article 3 of the Treaty specifies COMESA’s objectives as follows:

a. Attaining sustainable growth and development of the Member States by promoting a more balanced and harmonious development of its production and marketing structures;

b. Promoting joint development in all fields of economic activity and the joint adoption of macro-economic policies and programmes; to raise the standard of living of its peoples and to foster closer relations among its Member States;

c. Co-operating in the creation of an enabling environment for foreign, cross-border and domestic investment including the joint promotion of research and adaptation of science and technology for development;

d. Co-operating in the promotion of peace, security and stability among Member States in order to enhance social and economic development in the region;

e. Co-operating in strengthening the relations between the Common Market and the rest of the world and the adoption of common positions in international fora; and

f. Contributing towards the establishment, progress and the realization of the objectives of the African Economic Community.

B. COMESA, Gender, Agriculture and Climate Change 32. The Gender and Social Affairs Division is making great strides to implement gender-responsive decisions that aim to ensure that all COMESA’s processes, systems and programmes adopt a gender perspective in their design and implementation. 33. The vision of this strategy is, therefore, to identify opportunities for optimum productivity of the agricultural sector through enhanced participation of women and youths. This way COMESA will achieve sustainable growth and development;



improved livelihoods for all its people and improved investment across the Member States.

34. Since the agricultural sector is very vulnerable to climate variability and climate change, from a gender perspective, women and youths are more vulnerable to climate change. The strategy will consider the variability of the agricultural sector to climate change. 35. Furthermore and in line with Articles 154 and 155 of the COMESA Treaty, sustainable economic and social development of the region requires the effective participation of women, men and the youths all together. COMESA, through its Gender Policy has acknowledged and recognised the need to mainstream gender in all its regional and country-level activities in order to ensure that both females and males equitably participate in and benefit from regional development. This will ensure the productivity of the agricultural sector is optimised, especially in light of the additional challenges brought about by climate change. 36. To make concrete the above commitments, the Fourth Meeting of Ministers responsible for Gender and Women’s Affairs which was held in May 2010 in Zimbabwe took a decision that conservation agriculture and other agricultural programmes such as CAADP and COMRAP should ensure that at least 80 percent of the beneficiaries are female farmers and female-headed households in order to fully integrate them into agriculture and climate change adaptation and mitigation interventions. The Council of Ministers endorsed the decision during the policy organs meetings held in Swaziland in August 2010.

37. The October 2011 Policy Organs meeting fully endorsed the RESTRAP thus making it a policy document on mainstreaming gender in agriculture and climate change. Therefore, COMESA has embarked on mainstreaming gender in the existing agriculture and climate change programmes. Such efforts are aimed at increasing the participation of female farmers as direct beneficiaries of interventions implemented at the Secretariat and Member State level. The approach has the overall objective of ensuring that the region attains women’s empowerment and gender equality, and increase food security coupled with poverty alleviation, thus contributing towards the attainment of MDG 1. 38. In the implementation of the COMESA Gender, Climate Change and Agriculture Strategy, it is important to focus on ensuring the region is globally competitive. This aim is to implement programmes that lead to sustainable land and water management systems and practices resulting in long term reductions in carbon emissions and the establishment of a low carbon economy. More urgent for the region’s population in the near future will be strategies to adapt, to reduce the impact - and try to ensure that climate change doesn't weaken efforts to attain food security, reduce poverty or improve development. 39. The productivity of the agricultural sector and therefore food security at household level will be exacerbated by climate change’s impact on other sectors. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2007) cites that climate change may affect human health in a variety of ways, including for example:



a. Increased spread of vector- and water-borne diseases; b. Food insecurity due to reduced agricultural production in some regions; and c. Increased cases of heat stress and respiratory illness.

40. As primary caregivers in many families, women may see their responsibilities increase as family members suffer increased illness.



C. The COMESA Gender Policy

41. The main objective of the COMESA Gender Policy adopted in 2002 is to facilitate the mainstreaming of the gender perspectives into all policies, structures, systems, programmes and activities in order to make them gender responsive and contribute to the effective achievement of sustainable socio-economic development in the region. 42. The overall goal of the COMESA Gender Policy is to foster gender equality and equity at all levels of regional integration and cooperation in order to achieve sustainable socio-economic development in the region.

43. The policy commits Member States and governments of the region to fulfilling their gender obligations under the various international and regional instruments and institutions like CEDAW, Social Summit for Sustainable Development, the AU Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, the African and Beijing Platforms for Action, the SADC Gender Declaration, the Millennium Goals and the new commitments under NEPAD. 44. As a follow-up to this, in November 2010 COMESA undertook an assessment of the progress in the implementation of the Policy, specific to agriculture; D. The COMESA Gender Policy in Agricultural Development 45. The assessment of the implementation of the COMESA Gender Policy included a survey of the level of participation by female farmers in regional and global value chains. 46. The survey identified the main challenges for female farmers in agricultural development and competitiveness as: market-related challenges, technological obstacles and policy constraints. These constraints were linked to the low agricultural productivity resulting in food insecurity and poverty. 47. The survey established that Member States typically have gender policies and a number of initiatives like “Speeding Up Change for Inclusive Development” in Mauritius; “National Export Strategy: Gender Dimension” in Uganda; and the “National Gender and Development Policy” in Kenya. These provide an entry point for the Regional Policy Strategy. Some of the national policies and initiatives may need to be aligned to the COMESA gender policy, noting that some of them are not linked to the programmes such as ACTESA, Climate Change and others. 48. Key survey findings established that:

a. The seven most critical training needs for female farmers are: business management; animal production; agronomy; crop processing; quality control; post-harvesting requirements; and feed production.

Although climate change affects everybody, it is not gender neutral. It has significant social impacts and magnifies existing inequalities such as the disparity between women and men in their vulnerability and ability to cope with climate change. Too often women are primarily seen as victims of climate change, and their positive roles as agents of change and contributors to livelihood strategies are neglected. Gender mainstreaming in climate mitigation and adaptation has advanced. The COMESA strategy will address how we can move from strategy to effective action.



b. Different agricultural production methods and tillage systems are used across

the COMESA Member States including for example conventional tillage, crop rotation and zero tillage. In some countries crop residues are used as livestock feed.

c. The level of agricultural subsidies varies between Member States and

technology is an important input in the subsidies. There is limited use of agro-processing technology among female farmers in all the countries. For example very few, less than 20 percent farmers use hammer mills and maize shellers and technologies for fruit juice processing.

d. There is a an opportunity to use main service providers including community

based organizations, individual enterprises, women groups and non-governmental organizations to improve access to extension services by female farmers.

e. The most limiting factors for female farmers in accessing credit are lack of collateral, information and lack of education on financing.

f. The five main purposes of service providers are marketing of fresh farm produce, marketing of processed agricultural products, financing, provision of information and input supply.

49. In view of these findings, the survey then made the following recommendations:

a. That gender policies, programmes, and initiatives should be highly publicized in COMESA Member States. Further studies should consider how policies, programmes and initiatives could be closely linked and strengthened between the Secretariat and Member States.

b. Training materials should be developed on business management to

assist female farmers move further up the value chain and service providers to ably support female farmers.

c. There is need to strengthen linkage of farming communities with

service providers and non-governmental organizations so as to increase the number of extension services focusing on business management, crop processing, agronomy and animal production.

50. In response, to the findings, COMESA undertook to develop the RESTRAP to facilitate mainstreaming of gender in the existing agriculture and climate change programmes. 51. It is important to note that both the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the COMESA Climate Change Initiative (CCCI) recognise the significance of engendering their programmes. For example both aim at:



a. Promoting economic empowerment of women through trade and private sector participation

b. Establishing/strengthening national institutions on gender, agriculture and climate change

c. Promoting gender equity and social development 52. Specifically the programmes have set out to: provide a framework for the establishment of an African bio-carbon facility that combines market-based offsets, taps into public and private funds; and expands agricultural markets. 53. The programmes aim to increase adoption of appropriate technologies and to mobilise African and international scientific and technical communities to increase the knowledge base and its management to support informed decision making processes. 54. The two programmes aim to promote an enabling policy environment to incorporate gender, climate change and agriculture and consolidate a shared vision for Africa on climate change and a common and informed voice for the continent in the Post Kyoto climate change negotiations and beyond.

55. To achieve this both programmes share the objective of promoting and enhancing collaboration, synergy, partnerships and effective participation of governments, the business community, civil society and other stakeholders in climate change matters. 56. The opportunities for engendering the two programmes will need to be specific on the following:

a. Improving the enabling policy environment to incorporate gender,

climate change and agriculture; b. Improving climate resilience of women and youth in agriculture;

c. Providing gender‐specific natural resource use pattern, skills and capacities and resources that lead to mitigation and adaptation;

d. Developing and supporting access to economic instruments for women and youth;

e. Promoting gender-sensitive technology transfer and implementing skills development and providing a framework for establishing crediting and financial strategies;

f. Facilitating capacity building activities for the development of trade related skills;

g. Strengthening linkages of farming communities with service providers and non-governmental organizations;

h. Increasing the number of climate sensitive agriculture extension services targeting women and youths.

E. Climate Change and Agriculture in the COMESA Region 57. The impact of climate change on agriculture is most profound on grain production, which is expected to decline by about 14 – 16 percent under a business-



as-usual and no offsetting of climate change effects and 9 – 13 percent with climate change adaptation3. 58. Temperatures everywhere have increased, warming by 1 - 2 degrees according to the global projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Under several assessments, average temperatures have increased, some changes in the length of the growing season have been documented and the increase in the frequency of extreme precipitation, coupled with an increase in pests and diseases have all contributed to global burden and decline in agricultural productivity. At the same time, the IPCC notes that compared with the Least Developed Countries, the Developed Countries have much greater economic resources that can be devoted to helping farmers adjust to climate change.

59. In the COMESA region, several studies project moderate decline in the agricultural production of staple foods by 2050. The overall picture disguises large differences within and between countries. Where crop yields are expected to decline only moderately because of climate change, past experience suggests that rural households can respond effectively by adopting new technologies to intensify crop and livestock production, many of which are being developed by various CGIAR-supported centres and their national partners. Drought-tolerant maize varieties, for example, have the potential to generate benefits for farmers estimated at US $863 million or more in 13 African countries over the next 6 years4.

60. In areas that face drastic reductions in maize and bean yields, farmers may need to resort to more radical options, such as changing the types of crops they grow (replacing maize, for example, with sorghum or millet), keeping more livestock or abandoning crops altogether to embrace new alternatives, such as the provision of environmental services, including carbon sequestration.

61. The agricultural sector is the one most vulnerable to climate variability and change. From the assessment carried out within the region and specifically on agriculture, it is a common recognition that the poor and marginalized will experience the impacts of climate change most acutely and that they have the least capacity to adapt, and that women and youths make up a disproportionate number of the poor or marginalized5. The COMESA Regional Strategy and Action Plan will need to include climate as well as gender issues in its agriculture programme. The key gender issues include – building capacity to encourage women and youths to engage in regional trade, improving policies, enhancing access to agricultural research results and extension services, including financing mechanisms. F. Engendering Agriculture and Climate Change in the COMESA Region 62. Gender sensitive climate change adaptation strategies for agriculture will be more effective if made in a participatory decision-making process. To facilitate this, a

3 Source: IPCC 1996 Report.

4 Philip Thornton of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

5 Summarized from: The enhancement of agribusiness capacity of female farmers in the COMESA

region through regional and global value addition Baseline survey final report November, 2010



deliberate programme for communities and vulnerable groups needs to be developed and the following issues need to be taken into account:

a. Equal access, control and distribution of benefits b. Viability of communal and natural resources c. Levels of vulnerability, resilience and autonomy of men, women and

youths when confronted with different threats d. Importance of local knowledge for social and economic development e. Present subsistence and adaptation gender strategies f. Disaster risk reduction management to take action on causes and lessen

impact 63. The establishment of gender sensitive action plans is therefore a necessary condition for human development. It is also a fundamental objective in the fight against poverty. Women, men and youths play different roles and have different responsibilities in their families, communities, and societies. Understanding these differences is vital when developing policies, programmes and projects meant to improve people’s livelihoods.

64. The strategy recognises that gender-blind policies or programmes are potentially harmful to human development as they tend to exacerbate existing inequality or exclusion. Gender mainstreaming assesses the different implications of any planned action for men, women and youths and pertains to legislation, policies or programmes in any area and at all levels. Other key issues include; capacity building and enhancing access to agricultural research results; widened and effective extension services and financing mechanisms to reduce barriers to engender agriculture to improve climate change resilience.

65. The following questions may serve as a non-exhaustive discussion guide to stimulate sharing of national level experiences, strategies and good practices:

a. What steps are being taken or could be taken to reduce the vulnerability of women and youth and to reduce the negative impacts of climate change, particularly in relation to their critical roles in rural areas in provision of food and energy?

b. What steps are being taken or could be taken to increase the participation of women and youth in decision-making on climate change at different levels?

c. What are the technical assistance and knowledge needs in critical areas related to food crops and or animals, focussing on and including women and young farmers and their needs and preferences?

d. What are the major achievements and gaps and challenges in ensuring adequate attention to gender perspectives in climate change efforts, for example in relation to specific issues/contexts, including but not limited to: natural disasters, such as floods, drought; desertification and deforestation?

e. How can we ensure that in implementing the agriculture projects and programme, all stakeholders benefit from development interventions and implementation - considering the possible consequences of policy changes and changes in gender relations?



F.1 Drivers for engendering agriculture – why is it important to

consider the impact of climate change on gender in relation to agriculture?

66. Women and youths are particularly vulnerable to climate change because they are more prone to the adverse impact of climate change. Their limited adaptive capacities arise from prevailing social inequalities and ascribed social and economic roles that manifest in differences in property rights, access to information, lack of employment and unequal access to resources. 67. Agriculture is an important sector with immense potential. The sector is estimated to account for more than 32 percent of COMESA’s GDP and engages 80 percent of its labour force. At the same time, population has been growing at an average of 3 percent per year (www.uneca.org visited 16h November 2011); this means there is a significant and growing young population that can contribute to COMESA’s food security and developmental challenges. This raises the conundrum of food insecurity and poverty and integration of youth into food production. 68. Women in rural households often provide and produce agricultural products for their families’ well being. Women and poor men often lack the information and economic resources to access or adopt strategies, leading to a gender-climate change-poverty nexus. Resource-poor households and communities in marginal areas dependent on rain fed agriculture are particularly affected by the effects of climate change and variability. More frequent failures of the cropping season, or more frequent loss of livestock during droughts, may be the tipping point beyond which they cannot recover. 69. Changes in the climate usually impact sectors that are traditionally associated with women, youth and poor households, whether headed by women or men. This means increased hardship for women. For example, studies show that climate change has an adverse impact on fishing, as the sea level rises and saline water enters into fresh water systems, making fishing difficult. 70. During extreme weather and climate events, more women deaths are observed for women’s inability to swim or run or lack of strength to withstand physically demanding situation such as storms, floods or cyclones. 71. From a long term perspective, this will have serious implications for gender relations, as women and young girls may end up spending more time on tasks that reinforce stereotypical gender roles. Thus, women are faced with a situation where their ability to adapt is low yet the share of the adaptation burden falling disproportionately on them. This makes the consideration of the impact of climate change on gender most imperative. 72. It is, therefore, important to recognise the gender disparities and opportunities for disaggregation of roles within the key agricultural sub-sectors. Rather than seeking women-only value chains, support should be provided for new analyses to help build competitive value chains that offer men, women and youths opportunities

http://www.uneca.org/



to participate as actors throughout the chain and to overcome gender-based constraints to their full involvement and optimum throughput.

F.2 What are the gender dimensions of both climate change adaptation and mitigation in the agricultural sector?

73. Gender mainstreaming in climate change adaptation and mitigation in agriculture is premised on several factors but mainly on the notion that climate change affects everybody. It has significant social impacts and magnifies existing inequalities such as the disparity between women and men in their vulnerability and ability to cope. Too often women and youths are primarily seen as victims of climate change, and their positive roles as agents of change and contributors to livelihood strategies are neglected. 74. Within the COMESA region, food production and agriculture in general are hampered by a changing climate, particularly increased temperature and low and erratic rainfall. Climate change adaptation and mitigation is, therefore, important to ensure food security and improve livelihoods of the most vulnerable, in particular resource poor households and women. 75. Therefore, the fundamental goal of adaptation strategies is the reduction of the vulnerabilities to climate induced change in order to protect and enhance the livelihoods of the poor. Experience shows that vulnerability is differentiated by gender. Adaptation to climate change or indeed climate variability is dependent on issues such as wealth, technological power and access to information, all of which are major problem areas for women. However, women and youths can be key agents of adaptation and mitigation to climate change. Their responsibilities in households, communities and as stewards of natural resources position them well to develop strategies for adapting to changing environmental realties. 76. Climate change adaptation in the agriculture sector has led to a tilt towards cash crops. This usually leads to reduced food for vulnerable and poor families and communities. The higher infection incidences and prevalence of livestock pests and diseases will require more resources and these are not available to the most vulnerable, who in the majority happen to be the poor households. 77. In mitigation, women also have a role deriving from their own strength.

Women are engaged in a number of activities such as brick‐making,

charcoal‐making, waste management and agro‐processing where energy efficiency

can lead to CO2 mitigation and their role in mitigation in these areas can be vital. The development of Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM), through carbon sequestration from afforestation and reforestation can also be done by poor rural women. 78. Women in urban areas can implement energy efficiency programmes at the household level. Women in rural areas may be encouraged to use biomass and biogas (for fuel generation), and switch to solar energy. Poor women, without access to modern energy fuels are faced with problems relating to indoor air pollution and bear huge health burdens as a result. There is a high incidence of bronchitis, asthma and other health problems for example. Women should not be denied the use of



fossil fuels like LPG or Kerosene. Appropriate technologies that take into account the

specific socio‐economic realities of different rural areas reduce women’s workload,

free‐up time and enable them to pursue income generating or other activities need to

be developed.

F.3 What is the way forward? 79. It is clear that gender differences must be taken into account to understand the impact of climate change on agriculture. Gender differentiated strategies for

responses and capacity ‐ building are needed, due to differences in gender specific

roles and responsibilities created by society. These findings should feed into the

climate negotiations as well as national debates to enable decision‐makers to have a

better understanding of how different groups of people are affected and what kind of capacity and support is needed. 80. More specifically the following actions are required:

a. Recognise that women and youths are more vulnerable in climate change driven scenarios: While it is widely accepted that agriculture is the socio-economic sector most affected by climate change, it is important to analyze

and identify gender‐specific impacts and protection measures related to

floods, droughts, diseases, and other environmental changes and disasters. The information must be specific and allow approaches to identify crops that will be more productive but that can also reduce the time and labour burden on women and youths in production, harvesting, and

processing. An inter‐ministerial task force could be set up towards this end

recognising the fact that it is the natural disasters, exacerbated by global warming and climate change that contribute to poor production in the agricultural sector.

b. Understand and address gender‐specific natural resource use pattern: Governments should develop strategies to enhance women and youths access to and control over natural resources, in order to reduce poverty, protect environmental resources, and ensure that vulnerable groups and poor communities can better cope with climate change. Some of the adaptation strategies could include the use of drought tolerant and climate resilient crop varieties, changing and or mixing different crops. There are also opportunities to engage in projects to Reduce Deforestation and land Degradation (REDD+) under the current climate change international dialogue. Under REDD+, there is a deliberate requirement for a gender-based approach – the Strategy must explore this climate change mitigation option to diversify household incomes under a climate burdened agricultural sector.

c. Identify women’s particular skills and capacities that lend to mitigation and adaptation: Given that women’s knowledge and participation has been critical to the survival of entire communities in disaster situations, governments should take cognizance of women’s specialized skills in different aspects of their livelihood and natural resource management strategies and utilize those that lend themselves to mitigation and adaptation.



d. Increase women and youths participation in decision‐making at all levels in climate change mitigation and adaptation: Women and youths participation in climate change related debates and planning must be enhanced by tools

and procedures that augment their capacity and sensitize decision‐makers

to the advantages of equal participation. In addition to targeting women, it is important to address gender inequalities in laws, policies, and institutions and to promote equity in the organizational arrangements that structure access to key factors related to agricultural production

81. The Regional Strategy on Gender, Agriculture and Climate Change identifies the overall strategic objective as: “To facilitate and promote climate-smart agricultural policies, structures and programmes to promote gender equality and equity towards sustainable development by 2015” and the 8 strategic objectives are as follows:

a. Promote and advocate for gender equity in agriculture and climate change

policies, programmes, systems and structures at the regional and national levels.

b. Strengthening/building capacity of policy makers, field workers and farmers on approaches to integrating gender in climatic change, and agriculture.

c. Strengthen linkages between RECs and national institutions responsible for gender, agriculture and climate change at regional and national levels.

d. Create and strengthen strategic partnerships and tripartite relations, at international and regional levels including private/public partnerships.

e. Establish an information management system focusing on gender, agriculture and climate change.

f. Promote gender-equitable research supporting climate-smart agricultural technologies.

g. Mobilise resources to implement the strategic framework at the regional and national levels.

h. Develop and institute a monitoring and evaluation framework that addresses gender, agriculture and climate change.



G. The Regional Strategy and Action Plan: 82. The gender sensitive Regional Strategy and Action Plan (RESTRAP) focuses on two key sectors: agriculture and climate change (see Figure 2 below). The RESTRAP reviews existing strategies and programmes and identifies opportunities for adding value by twinning the gender agenda with existing programmes and to ensure the existing programmes are enhanced to respond to gender concerns. Gender mainstreaming must aim to transform unequal social and institutional structures in order to make them profoundly responsive to gender. Figure 2: Implementation framework for the regional strategy and action plan for engendering agriculture and climate change

83. The RESTRAP will need to emphasise on policy streamlining and, as appropriate, develop policies for effective implementation of the RESTRAP – especially recognising that, as in other areas, adaptation policies are likely to be more successful and responsive to the needs of the poor when the stakeholders identify priorities and shape the design of policies – especially when the poor also happen to be women. 84. One key area for action – in most African countries is climate change adaptation. Under the international climate change agenda – particularly within the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol, climate change adaptation was originally viewed as a secondary and long-term option and of interest – only when or if mitigation efforts were not enough. It is now clear that mitigation efforts will not be sufficient; adaptation is an urgent priority for the COMESA region. The RESTRAP specifically investigates and develops an action plan for activities to address climate change adaptation in the agricultural sector; this importance is based on the significance of the sector.

85. Engendering the agricultural sector and recognising the climate change reality, therefore provides a window for addressing key issues such as poverty, technology transfer and skills development. Key challenges in the implementation of

Gender Sensitive Action Planning for Social Development, Food Security

and Climate Resilience

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Regional Strategy and Action Plan (RESTRAP) principles



the strategy include – development of harmonised gender policies and gender-equitable governance to apply to agricultural programmes. These policies will then need to be internalised by the Member States. 86. The analysis of strengths, weaknesses opportunities and threats associated with the implementation of the Regional Strategy and Action Plan on Gender, Agriculture and Climate Change highlights the following key findings as critical to the successful implementation of the Regional Strategy; inadequate staffing of the Directorate responsible for Gender and cultural aspects on gender issues as the weaknesses and threats (see Figure 3 below). Figure 3: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats associated with the implementation of the Regional initiatives integrating gender into agriculture and climate change programmes

Table 1: The stakeholder analysis of the strategic plan

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EAFF C/Change FANRPAN

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FAO

CAADP

SACAU

ACTESA

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87. The different stakeholders identifies the different stakeholders, who took part in the consultations and in preparation of the Regional Strategy and Action Plan on Gender, Agriculture and Climate Change as seen in Table 1 above; and Annex II has

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) associated with implementing a regional programme on Agriculture within Climate Change considerations:

STRENGTHS: existing partners and partnerships, political will, institutional capacity,

WEAKNESSES: inadequate staffing, tight deadlines, resource adequacy and coordination.

OPPORTUNITIES: willing implementing partners, technology availability, lessons learnt, experiences from other regions

THREATS: HIV/AIDS, competing demands on the service providers, public perceptions, cultural aspects to gender, climate change challenges such as: less rainfall in fewer, larger storms; changes in the start of rainy seasons and more frequent droughts



the list of institutions consulted. It is important to note that efforts will be needed to draw these important stakeholders into the gender initiative. 88. First let us consider the potential overlaps in the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the COMESA Climate Change Initiative as seen in Table 2 below.



Strategy in summarised form

Gender Agriculture Climate Change Overlapping strategy for engendering agriculture and climate change

Strengthen Management Systems at National and Regional Levels

Supporting implementation of CA, CAADP and COMESA strategies at national level

Foster regional and national cooperation to address climate change and its impacts.

Promote integration of climate change considerations into regional, national policies, sectoral planning and development and budgeting.

Support implementation of Agriculture and climate change programmes and initiatives

Foster regional cooperation to engender climate change and agriculture

Promote integration of national policies into regional planning, development and budgeting

Promoting Economic Empowerment of Women through Trade and Private Sector Participation

Increasing adoption of technologies

Expanding agricultural markets;

Provide a framework for the establishment of an African BioCarbon Facility that combines market-based offsets, public and private funds

Develop and Support access to economic instruments

Promote technology transfer and skills development

Provide a framework for crediting and financial strategies for agriculture and climate change programme

Facilitate development of trade related capacities

Establishing/Strengthening National Institutions on Gender, Agriculture and Climate Change:

Mobilize African and international scientific and technical communities to increase knowledge base and its management to support informed decision making processes.

Strengthen linkages of farming communities with service providers and non-governmental organizations

Increase the number of climate sensitive agriculture extension services

Promoting Gender Equity and Social Development

Improving the enabling policy environment to incorporate Gender, Climate

Consolidate a shared vision for Africa on climate change and a common and informed voice for the continent in the Post Kyoto Climate Change negotiations and beyond.

Promote and enhance collaboration,

Improving the enabling policy environment to incorporate Gender, Climate Change and Agriculture

Improve climate resilience of women in agriculture



Change and Agriculture

synergy, partnerships and effective participation of Governments, business community, civil society and other stakeholders in climate change matters.

Provide gender‐specific natural resource use pattern, skills and capacities and resources (including land) that lend to mitigation and adaptation

Establish Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanisms

Facilitating monitoring and evaluation of regional strategic objectives and targets

Enhance human and institutional capacities of COMESA Secretariat, specialized institutions and Member States to effectively address the challenges of climate change.

Facilitating monitoring and evaluation of regional strategic objectives and targets

Enhance human and institutional capacities of partner institutions and Member States to carry out monitoring and evaluation.

Financing Strategy for the RESTRAP on engendering Agriculture and Climate Change.

Provide a framework for the establishment of a Facility that combines public and private funds

Provide a framework for the establishment of a Facility that combines public and private funds



H. Mainstreaming Gender in Agriculture and Climate Change 89. The 2007 Human Development Report acknowledges that climate change threatens to erode human freedoms and limit choice and the report further underscores that gender inequality intersects with climate risks and vulnerabilities. Poor women’s limited access to resources, restricted rights, limited mobility and muted voice in shaping decisions make them highly vulnerable to climate change. 90. At the same time, the climate change treaty – the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) under Article 3 on Principle 3 (Secretariat, 2002) calls on all countries to take cognizance of the specific needs of particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Within each of our countries, the communities are not equally vulnerable to climate change. The key challenge is for countries to communicate the issues of gender and climate change while respecting the social and cultural values that constitute the fabric of society. 91. There are important gender perspectives in all aspects of climate change. Gender inequalities in access to resources, including land, credit, extension services, information and technology, must be taken into account in developing mitigation activities. Adaptation efforts should systematically and effectively address gender-specific impacts of climate change in the areas of energy, water, food security, agriculture and fisheries, biodiversity and ecosystem services, health, industry, human settlements, disaster management, conflict and security6. 92. Women make up a large number of the poor in communities that are highly dependent on local natural resources for their livelihood and are disproportionately vulnerable to and affected by climate change. Women in rural areas in developing countries have the major responsibility for household water supply and energy for cooking and heating, as well as for food security, and are negatively affected by drought, uncertain rainfall and deforestation7. Because of their roles, unequal access to resources and limited mobility, women in many contexts are disproportionately affected by natural disasters, such as floods, fires, and mudslides. It is important to identify gender-sensitive strategies for responding to the environmental and humanitarian crises caused by climate change. 93. Women are not only victims of climate change, but also effective agents of change in relation to both mitigation and adaptation. Women possess knowledge and expertise that can be used in climate change mitigation, disaster reduction and adaptation strategies. Women’s responsibilities in households and communities as stewards of natural resources has positioned them well for livelihood strategies adapted to changing environmental realities. They tend, however, to be under-represented in decision-making on sustainable development, including on climate change, and this impedes their ability to contribute their unique and valuable perspectives and expertise on climate change.

6 Report of the Secretary-General on overview of UN activities in relation to climate change

A/62/644. 7 Changing the Climate: Why Women’s Perspectives Matter. Women’s Environment and

Development Organisation Information Sheet 2007, p2.



94. Financing mechanisms must be flexible enough to reflect women’s priorities and needs. The active participation of women in the development of funding criteria and allocation of resources for climate change initiatives is critical, particularly at local levels. Gender analysis of all budget lines and financial instruments for climate change is needed to ensure gender-sensitive investments in programmes for adaptation, mitigation, technology transfer and capacity building. 95. Technological developments related to climate change should take into account women’s specific priorities and needs and make full use of their knowledge and expertise, including traditional practices. Women’s involvement in the development of new technologies can ensure that they are user-friendly, effective and sustainable. Women should also have equal access to training, credit and skills-development programmes to ensure their full participation in climate change initiatives. 96. Member States should be encouraged to mainstream gender perspectives into their national policies, action plans and other measures on sustainable development and climate change, through carrying out systematic gender analysis, collecting and utilizing sex-disaggregated data, establishing gender-sensitive indicators and benchmarks and developing practical tools to support increased attention to gender perspectives. Consultation with and participation of women in climate change initiatives must be ensured and the role of women’s groups and networks strengthened. G. Youth and RESTRAP on Gender, Agriculture and Climate Change 97. Africa has the fastest-growing and most youthful population in the world. Over 20 percent of Africa's population is between the ages of 15 – 24; over 40 percent of Africa's population is under 15 years of age, and that number is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. According to the International Labour Office, youths make up as much as 36 percent of the total working-age population and three in five of Africa's unemployed are youth8. 98. COMESA recognises the youths’ potential to address poverty. The Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) is implementing the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) regional compact. One of the important objectives of the regional compact is to “design and facilitate implementation of programmes focusing on youths and women in the COMESA region”. 99. The youths must be part of decisions about the future of agriculture in Africa – “they are after all the generation that will have to ensure that the continent’s growing population is fed9” 100. In the region, food security and the livelihoods of the rural poor are at risk as agriculture is rain-fed and has become highly vulnerable to weather shocks. Agriculture has the potential to contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction.

8 International Labour Office, Global Employment Trends for Youth 2008.

9 FANRPAN Chief Executive Officer Dr Lindiwe Majele Sibanda

http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/strat/download/gety08.pdf



There is therefore a need to scale up investment in agriculture so as to accelerate economic transformation. 101. In many Member States, agriculture is unattractive to the youths partly because of the negative attitudes associated with it. In schools, for example, it has been used in the administration of punishments to errant and undisciplined children. It is common to find students or pupils digging as a punishment for late coming. This discourages the youths from engaging in agriculture and leaves the sector in the hands of the ageing rural population, which has contributed to low productivity, hence food shortage.

102. In rural areas, youths experience higher levels of unemployment and underemployment due to fewer opportunities for labour productivity and rural incomes. Most rural employment is in small-scale agriculture, where the traditional role of youths consists of unpaid farm work, rather than functioning as farmers in their own right. This is typically due to customary rules of land use, which limit access to land for rural youths. 103. In this context, it is necessary to promote an earnest paradigm shift in the way they shape poverty reduction efforts and fully engage and empower young people to diminish the cycle of poverty in rural livelihoods. These efforts should include three areas of focus:

a. Promoting youth’s capabilities to stay on the land through agricultural and environmental education;

b. Incorporating gender analysis with a focus on marginalized young women; c. Engaging the youths when evaluating progress achieved in addressing

poverty issues, especially in the preparation of poverty reduction strategy papers.

104. To be sustainable, these efforts need to be embraced at all levels of governance. Pro-agricultural rural youths programmes that elevate economic and employment opportunities are only one part of the solution. Governments need to escalate youth migration policies, which include raising female literacy, and putting social development at the top of the policy agendas. H. Framework for a Strategy for Mainstreaming Gender in Agriculture and

Climate Change: 105. The COMESA Strategy for mainstreaming Gender in Agriculture and Climate Change identifies the overall strategic objective as: “To facilitate and promote climate-smart agricultural policies, structures and programmes to promote gender equality and equity towards sustainable development by 2015” and the 8 strategic objectives, (see paragraph 6.2 and Table 3 below):



Thematic / Intervention Area

Key Actions Intervention logic Key Outcomes

Performance indicators

Timeframe

Partners

1. Policy and Advocacy

1.1 Advocate national and regional institutions to promote engendering land ownership and access policies

Engaging the key community leaders and national institutions of gender, local government authorities’ stakeholders in land policy reform and implementation.

Increased land ownership opportunities by men, women and youth farmers

Proportion of women owning land and title deeds

2011-2015

COMESA,SADC, EAC, Member States and CSOs

1.2. Lobby Member States and RECs to engender agricultural and climate change policies

Engage key regional and national stakeholders to formulate gender sensitive policies through consultative processes i.e. dialogue, roundtable meetings and stakeholder forums

Engendered agricultural and climate change policies

Number of Consultative dialogue platforms and forums conducted

2011 - 2015

UNEP, UNDP, CSOs, COMESA, SADC, EAC, SACAU, WASAA, EAFF,FEMCOM and Member States

1.3. Ensure that national, sub-regional and regional round table meetings on climate change (and policy dialogues) include both men and women negotiators in the Africa climate change negotiations.

The selection process of negotiators to include representatives from Ministries of Gender, Agriculture and Environments to ensure gender

a. The climate change negotiation process engendered

b. African

climate

Number of men and women participating in negotiating processes

2011-2015

UNFCCC, UNDP, World Bank; IFPRI, AfDB, AU, COMESA, SADC, EAC,




Key Actions Intervention logic Key Outcomes


Timeframe

Partners

balance.

change position approach taken to UNFCCC

Member States and CSOs

1.4 Facilitate representative attendance of gender experts, negotiating teams and delegations to UNFCCC meetings

RECs and national institutions to mobilise gender experts and allocate budgetary support toward their participation

Gender experts mobilised Budgetary support allocated

a. Number of gender experts participating in the UNFCCC

b. % increase of

budgetary allocation

1.5 Ensure effective participation of gender experts and women’s organisations in consultative processes for formulation on adaptation and mitigation strategies and policies

1.6 Facilitate national institutions (Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Gender) to mainstream gender into disaster risk management policies and planning




Key Actions Intervention logic Key Outcomes Performance indicators

Time-frame

Partners

2. Capacity building

2.1. Facilitate national institutions to increase the enrolment of women in extension services

Sensitise National Extension service providers through trainings on the process in engaging increased numbers of both men and women public and private to service providers

Both men and women engaged as extension services

Number of men and women service providers

2011-2015

COMESA, FAO, UNDP, CFU, Ministry of Agriculture, EAFF, SACAU, NASFAM, Ministry of Gender

2.2. Facilitate development of sensitisation and training modules for officers mainstreaming gender in agriculture and climate change value and supply chains

RECs to assist MS national machineries of gender, agriculture and environment to develop modules to sensitise officers on gender mainstreaming in agriculture and climate change value and supply chain

Ministry officers of gender, agriculture and environment trained in mainstreaming gender

Number of officers trained

2011 - 2013

COMESA, SADC, EAC, UNDP, UNEP, National machineries

2012-2013

2.3. Engendering academic curriculums on agriculture and climate change

Identify academic institutions incorporating agriculture and climate change i.e. in their curricula and advocate for the inclusion of a gender perspective

Gender perspective integrated into Curriculums focusing on agriculture and CA related educational programmes

Number of national academic institutions incorporating a gender perspective in agriculture and CA related

2012-2015

UNDP, UNEP, COMESA, UNESCO and MS





Time-frame

Partners

programmes

2.4. Undertake awareness creation programmes on gender inclusive climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives i.e. AFOL, CSA and CA practices at REC and MS levels

Organise awareness creation workshops at REC and MS level to sensitise Gender and Agriculture focal points and farmers networks on AFOLU programmes, including CA practices

REC Secretariats National institutions Gender, Agriculture and Environmental Focal points and farmer networks sensitised

Number of workshops and gender, agriculture and environmental focal point officer sensitised conducted at REC and MS level

2012-2015

USAID, COMESA, SADC. EAC, EAFF, SACAU, FANRPAN, CFU and MS

2.5. Promote the increased access of smallholder male and female farmers’ networks to regional and global markets i.e. AGOA

RECs and ICPs to facilitate MS to conduct training workshops for targeted small holder male and female farmers networks focusing agriculture value and supply challenges i.e. farm inputs, technology, service provision , management skills, market information and REC existing programmes i.e. ACTESA, COMRAP and Trade

Targeted male and female small holder farmers networks trained on the agricultural value and supply challenges

Number of small holder farmer networks focusing on male and female farmers trained on the agricultural value and supply challenges

2012- 2015

COMESA, SADC, EAC, EAFF, SACU, AWAN-EA, WASAA and MS




Key actions Intervention logic Key Outcomes Performance indicators

Time-frame

Partners

2. (conti) Capacity Building

2.6. Facilitate REC Secretariats and national institutions to create gender focal points in agricultural and climate change programmes.

REC Secretariats and MS programmes focusing on agriculture and climate change to establish gender focal points within their programme structures

Established gender focal points within agriculture and climate change programme structures.

Number of established gender focal points

2011 - 2015

COMESA, EAC, SADC and MS

2.7. Promote gender responsive budgeting at REC and MS level in agricultural and climate change interventions, i.e. CA practices

RECs and MS to undertake training workshops on gender responsive budgeting in agriculture and climate change related programme interventions

Agriculture and Climate Change programme officers at REC and MS trained in gender responsive budgeting

Number of training workshops conducted and officers trained

2012-2014

COMESA, SADC, EAC, EAFF, SACAU, WASAA, NASFAM, FAO, UNDP, UNEP, FANRPAN and MS.

2.8. Encourage financial institutions to develop funding facilities tailor-made for small holder farmers in agribusiness and increase credit access

RECs and MS to facilitate consultative sessions with selected banks and Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) to create credit access facilities tailor-made for small holder farmer networks and associations within the regions.

Held consultative meetings with selected banks and MFIs within the region

Number of consultative meetings held with selected banks and MFIs

2012- 2015

COMESA, AfDB, PTA, USAID, MFIs





Time-frame

Partners

2.9. Develop methodologies mainstream gender into Conservation Agriculture, Climate Smart Agriculture and AFOLU initiatives

RECS, MS facilitate discussion on gender monitoring methods

Consultations on methodologies and standards

Number of activities reporting on gender.

COMESA, SADC, EAC, CAADP, CCCI, MS, Gender Govt Ministries. USAID, FAO, UNEP, SIDA, FANRPAN, WMO, N/REWU, other ICPs

2.10. Facilitate gender awareness creation initiatives within public institutions’ disaster risk reduction and emergency facilities

2.11. Promote disaster response initiatives focused on organisations working with both small scale women and men farmers at regional and national level

RECS, MS facilitate discussion on DRR

Consultations on DRR held within the public institutions

number of consultations

2.12. Promote and facilitate exchange of best practices forums on mitigation and





Time-frame

Partners

adaptation actions among regional and national women’s organisations





Time-frame

Partners

3. Institutional framework

3.1. Conduct a situational analysis of selected regional and national institutions to determine their capacity to integrate a gender perspective into agriculture and climate change initiatives.

RECs to facilitate baselines on selected regional and national institutions regarding integration of gender concerns in agriculture and climate change programme initiatives

Identified institutional programme gaps, strengths and challenges in the integration of gender concerns

Number of regional and national institutions assessed

2011-2015

USAID, COMESA, SADC, EAC, EAFF, SACAU, UNDP, FAO, UNEP, CFU

3.2. Develop Strategic Action Plans (SAPs) for implementation of gender sensitive climate change adaptation and mitigation programmes i.e. National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPAs) and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) at REC and MS level

MS to design and implement NAPAs and NAMAs initiatives with the participation of National Gender Machineries, gender experts and CSO

Developed Strategic Action Plans on NAPAs and NAMAs initiatives that are gender sensitive

Number of NAPAs and NAPAs SAPs that are gender sensitive

2011-2015

UNDP, DFID, EU, COMESA, SADC, EAC, MS, CFU, FU, CSO

3.3. Promote the increased

MS to increase the participation of national

Increased participation of

Number of national

2011-2015

COMESA, SADC, EAC, NEPAD,





Time-frame

Partners

participation of national gender machineries and mainstreaming of gender in the CAADP Compact Signing Process at REC and MS level

gender machineries (Ministry of Gender, Gender Focal Points , Experts AND CSOs) and gender mainstreaming in the CAADP Compact Signing Processes

national gender machineries and gender mainstreaming in the CAADP Compact Signing Process

gender machineries representatives participation in CAADP Compact Signing Process

AU, MS and CSOs

3.4. Promote the increased participation of national gender machineries and mainstreaming of gender in the development of the national agriculture and CA investment frameworks

MS to facilitate the participation of national gender machineries (Ministry of Gender, Gender Focal Points , Experts and CSOs) in the development of national agriculture and CA investment frameworks

Increased participation of gender representatives in the development of agriculture and CA national investment frameworks Engendered national agricultural and CA investment frameworks.

Number of gender representatives involved in the development of national investment frameworks

2011 -2012

COMESA, NEPAD, AU, SADC, EAC, UNDP, MS and CSO




Key actions Intervention logic Key Outcomes


Time-frame

Partners

4. Building/ strengthening strategic partnerships (PPPs)

4.1. Ensure harmonization of programmes/projects on agriculture and climate change among RECs and National institutions

Facilitate joint missions and consultative meetings to harmonise programme/projects at REC level and MS

Harmonised programme/ project areas

Validation missions and meetings with RECs and MS

2011-2012

USAID, UNDP, FAO, COMESA, SADC, EAC, AU, UNDP, UNEP, FAO, FANRPAN, ASARECA and MS

4.2. Promote Programmes/project coordination on Climate change mitigation and adaption programme, i.e. CA related activities and with RECS/ICPs

Coordinate programmes/project with RECS/ICPs

RECs/ICPs synergy and coordination of programme/ project areas promoted

Consultative meetings and documentation programme/project agreements

2011-2013

4.3. Promote programme/project collaboration on specific areas with national/ regional/ICP

Hold consultative sessions with national/regional/ICPs (UNEP, IUCN, AMCEN) to identify specific programme/project areas of collaboration Strengthen regional institutional collaboration and

National/RECs/ICPs programme collaboration promoted

Consultative meetings held and identified Programme/project area of collaboration agreements




Key actions Intervention logic Key Outcomes


Time-frame

Partners

strategic policy dialogue, in particular with African Union Commission, AMCEN, other RECs, on climate change issues and negotiations

4.4. Identify and strengthen PPPs at MS level on climate change innovation, capacity enhancement and technologies transfer

RECs and MS to identify potential public and private sector partnerships and strengthen existing PPPs at MS level

PPPs identified and strengthened at MS level

Number of private-public-partnerships identified and/or established to mobilize finance and to increase investments in mitigation and adaptation programmes/projects

2011-2015

USAID, FAO, COMESA, SADC, EAC, AU, EAFF, SACAU, FANRPAN, CIFOR, Ministry of Agriculture Ministry of Gender Ministry of Trade GART, Private Sector CFU, CSOs

4.5. Identify technical and financial programme/project assistance partnership at national/regional/global levels

RECs and MS to identify possible programme/project financial and technical assistance partners at national/regional/global levels

Identified and established financial and technical assistance mechanisms

Number of sustainable financing and technical assistance mechanisms identified for policy, institutional reforms and capacity building Signed MOUs





Time-frame

Partners

5 Information, communication and publicity

5.1. Create awareness and avail adequate agriculture and climate change information especially targeting women and men

Organize theatre, seminars, workshops, meetings for youth and women for agricultural information dissemination. -development of agriculture and information system.

More women and youth are well informed on agriculture, climate change and gender issues.

Information available and women and youth are aware of issues of gender and agriculture.

2012-2015

EU, NORWEGIAN, DFID, USAID, UNDP, FAO, SACAU, EAFF, AU, EAC, SADC, COMESA, , training institutions

RECs and MS to engage the media and regularly provide information for publication on agriculture and climate change with gender perspectives.

Wide publicity, information and understanding about gender, agriculture and climate change in the region

Proportions of men and women knowledgeable about issues of gender, agriculture and climate change

5.2. Establish knowledge-based information management system focusing on gender, agriculture and climate change

Support RECs and MS to strengthen their institutional capacities for information management

Regional agricultural information system in place focusing on gender, agriculture and climate.

User-friendly agricultural information platforms accessible to all including farmers

Facilitate skills enhancement for responsible professionals

Skilled personnel responsible for management of information systems

Number of trained information management professionals

5.3. Produce and disseminate gender sensitive information and materials on

Facilitate the development of communication instruments such as e-newsletters, brochures and various on-line

RECs and MS information production and dissemination mechanisms put in

Types of information and communication tools/mechanisms available at media centres





Time-frame

Partners

agriculture and climate change through RECs and MS media centres.

communication tools place

Develop a COMESA-EAC-SADC gender, agriculture and climate change information, communication, knowledge sharing network

Regional information and communication network in place

Usage and access rate in terms of numbers of men and women accessing information through various means

5.4. Sensitize decision makers, including high level and technical consultation meetings on gender, agriculture and climate change on the long term impacts on sustainable development, economic growth and poverty reduction

RECs and MS facilitate platforms for stakeholder consultation information meetings on gender, agriculture and climate change

Informed, knowledgeable stakeholders Stakeholder buy-in

Increased sensitivity on engendered agriculture and climate change initiatives among decision makers Increased stakeholder participation and support





Time-frame

Partners

5.5. Incorporate an indicator system disaggregated by sex into information system dealing with agricultural and climate change related issues





Time-frame

Partners

6. Research, innovation and technology

6.1. Undertake baselines on CA practices and technologies and Gender in COMESA member states.

RECs and MS to conduct baselines on CA practices and gender to collate gender disaggregated data to inform designed interventions

Gender disaggregated data on CA practices collected

Baselines undertaken in selected MS

2012-2015

USAID, UNESCO, UNDP, FAO, COMESA, SADC, EAC, EAFF, CIMMYT, FANRPAN, CIFOR, ICRAF, GART, CFU, MS

6.2. Create knowledge management networks on gender, agriculture and climate change within the COMESA –EAC- SADC region

RECs and MS to establish regional and national knowledge networks that generates scientific data and analysis that is gender disaggregated on agriculture and climate change mitigation and adaptation RECs and MS to organise annual regional scientific symposium to share and disseminate the gender disaggregated data and analysis

Gender, Agriculture Climate change knowledge network operational At least one demand driven and gender sensitive scientific research paper on Agriculture and Climate Change commissioned

Number of regional and national identified knowledge networks Regional scientific symposium held

6.3. Facilitate sensitisation initiatives on carbon trading project funds, exchanges and investments that

RECs and MS to organise sensitisation forums for national institutions and farmer networks on local, regional and international carbon trade projects that

National institutional officers of agriculture, gender and environment and farmer networks in the region

At least 2 training sessions in availability of and access to carbon funds, exchanges and other carbon

2012-2014

COMESA, SADC, EAC, EAFF, FANRPAN, UNDP,





Time-frame

Partners

integrate a gender approach in the COMESA-EAC-SADC regions.

integrate a gender focus

sensitised on gender sensitive carbon trading project funding, exchanges and investments

investment instruments held in member states from 2011 per annum.

FAO, RECS, MS, CSO

6.4. Engage and support Universities and Research institutions to undertake gender disaggregated research on AFOLU related matters.

RECs and MS to identify and provide support to universities and research institutions to collect and disseminate gender disaggregated data and analyses on AFOLU applications

At least one demand driven policy gender integrative document on AFOLU related applications prepared and presented for discussion at policy organ meetings

Study on gender sensitive AFOLU applications

2012-2015

CIMMYT, FANRPAN, ICRAF, COMESA-EAC-SADC, USAID, Norwegian Aid, UNDP, GART, CFU, MS, CSO

6.5. Facilitate the development of gender appropriate CA technologies in MS.

RECs to provide technical and financial support for the development of gender appropriate CA technologies

Gender appropriate tailor-made CA technologies developed and made available in MS.

Number of female farmers applying CA technologies in the region





Time-frame

Partners

7. Resources mobilization

7.1. Lobby RECs and MS and dialogue with development partners on allocation of specific budgets for engendered agriculture and climate change regional adaptation programmes

Formulate a resource mobilization strategy and engage RECs and MS to allocate specific budgets for agriculture and climate change priority areas with a gender focus

Increased funding for gender related agriculture and climate change activities at local, national and regional levels

Proportion of budget allocation to gender, agriculture and climate change related activities

2012-2015

COMESA-EAC-SADC, USAID, Norwegian Aid, UNDP, UNFCCC, FANRPAN, SACAU, EAFF,UNEP, FAO, WFP, GART, CFU, MS Governments, NSAs and private sector

7.2. Assist RECs and MS to develop Gender sensitive financing strategies and investment frameworks to support implementation of Climate Smart Agriculture – CA and other adaptation programmes

RECs and MS facilitate access to global climate change investment funding opportunities to support CA

Increased financial support from global climate change investment funds Availability of gender responsive climate change financing mechanisms for AFOLU initiatives

MS increased uptake of Climate-Smart Agriculture programmes

7.3. Harmonize regional funding and investment initiatives on Climate Smart Agriculture and other adaptation

Through RECs, establish regional investment coordination structures to facilitate the financing of CA and other adaptation initiatives

Coordinated management of resource mobilization initiatives for CA and other

Unified approaches to regional financing of investments in CA and other adaptation





Time-frame

Partners

programmes adaptation initiatives initiatives

7.4. Secure allocation of funding for climate change prevention, mitigation, adaptation and vulnerability reduction initiatives for women organisations/ associations/cooperatives at regional and national levels





Time-frame

Partners

8. Monitoring and Evaluation

8.1. Develop and integrate gender sensitive indicators in agriculture and climate change mitigation and adaptation interventions

RECs to facilitate desk review of gender sensitive M&E best practice and tools

Relevant, effective, efficient and quality of programme delivery

Number of gender sensitive indicators / measures build into country programme

2012-2015

UNDP, COMESA-SADC-EAC, DFID, PACJA, RESAKSS, EAFF, SACAU Norwegian Aid, EU, WB and MS (Ministry of Agriculture, Environment)

8.2. Develop specific expertise for gender mainstreaming M&E in agriculture and climate mitigation and adaptation interventions, i.e. CA related activities

RECs and MS to initiate the development of gender sensitive M&E framework/guide for Secretariat and Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), Ministry of Gender (MOG), Ministry of Environment (MOE) programmes on CA and mitigation strategies

Adherence to targets and budgets and to programme standards

Number of country experts/ programmes/ projects developed & reporting on gender

8.3. Promote increased understanding on gender indicators/ mainstreaming

COMESA to facilitate publicity on gender sensitive M&E on CA related activities to COMESA member states

Agricultural and Climate mitigation and adaptation programmes reporting on gender disaggregated data

% increase in money (budget) allocated

Member states more knowledgeable about gender





Time-frame

Partners

sensitive M&E

Widespread gender sensitive reporting and learning

8.4. Promote increased demand for gender sensitive data/information for decision making/policy

RECs and MS to conduct baseline study

Increased budgeting / investments towards gender mainstreaming in agriculture and climate change strategies

Number of countries programmes/ projects implementing gender sensitive policies

8.5. Incorporate an indicator system disaggregated by sex into the agricultural and climate change M & E tools within regional and national institutions dealing agriculture and environmental related issues

RECs and MS to conduct training workshops on gender sensitive M&E for members States on agriculture and climate mitigation and adaptation interventions, i.e. CA practices



I. Thematic Areas 106. The goals and outputs in Table 3 above must help the Directorate of Gender contribute to the overall Vision and Mission of COMESA. Engendering COMESA programmes should therefore make the agricultural programmes and the climate change initiative sensitive to gender and also ensure an effective achievement of a sustainable socio-economic development in the region. 107. The set of eight goals – implemented successfully - will streamline COMESA’s obligations and those of Member States to the international agreements and treaties related to sustainable development and principally to the COMESA vision and mission. Under each thematic area below, a set of complementing activities have been identified.

I.1 Thematic Area 1: Policy and Advocacy 108. The goal here is to promote and advocate for gender equity in agriculture and climate change policies, programmes, systems and structures at the regional and national levels. 109. Advocacy efforts have to be co-ordinated among the three Secretariats of COMESA, EAC and SADC programmes and other regional institutions. This co-operation must also be cascaded to Member States where the communities and partners will work together. These relationships between the programmes/activities must be supported by policy. Deliberate policy instruments must be facilitated at national level and integrated into the sub-national planning, development and budgeting processes. Overall, the engendering activities will identify the training needs for agriculture for food security under increased climate variability and change and promote regional training programmes on climate change and agriculture proposals for external funding. 110. National level trade policies are not sensitive to gender disparities. Governance policies or membership requirements of regional trade and/or marketing associations limit women’s leadership or participation of women’s organizations and there is a general lack of knowledge about COMESA’s international legal requirements on gender parity and gender integration 111. To achieve the above outcomes the COMESA RESTRAP will support national and regional institutions in promoting land ownership and access policies to ensure there is a fair balance between the various groups. The strategy will also ensure that national, sub-regional and regional round table meetings on climate change (and policy dialogues) include both men and women negotiators in the Africa and international climate change negotiations. 112. The following activities will be undertaken:

a. National and regional institutions, including CSOs should promote engendering land ownership and access policies:



i. Support conservation agriculture and climate smart agriculture related activities that integrate male and female smallholder farmers designed to address gender disparities,

ii. Support the production of materials and publications with the objective of addressing gender based stereotypes and cultural injustice.

b. Lobby Member States and RECs to engender agricultural and climate change policies:

i. Lobby Member States to review and engender their agricultural and climate change national strategies and policies,

ii. Provide skills on how to incorporate gender concerns in the national programming cycle,

iii. Develop guidance for regional partners on gender equitable governance in trade and business associations.

c. Ensure that national, sub-regional and regional meetings on climate change include both men and women negotiators: i. Build capacity of regional and national groups working on gender,

agriculture and climate change to enhance their knowledge, skills and voice to engage in climate change debates internationally and locally,

ii. Intensify collaboration and information sharing with regional and national bodies, organisations and development partners working in the area of gender,

iii. Facilitate the sharing of experiences and lessons learnt by awarding opportunities to take part in regional and international forum,

iv. Facilitate representative attendance of gender experts, negotiating teams and delegations to UNFCCC meetings,

v. Ensure effective participation of gender experts and women’s organisations in consultative processes for the formulation on adaptation and mitigation strategies and policies.

d. Facilitate national institutions to mainstream gender into disaster risk management policies and planning i. Offer guidance on incorporating women’s concerns and needs into

normal planning processes, ii. Identify major constraints that inhibit women from maximising their

contribution to national development efforts iii. Stimulate dialogue with the national institutions on the kind of

projects/programmes aimed at integrating women into the development processes,

iv. Identify and promote new knowledge for monitoring on-going adaptation practices and potential risks of mal-adaptation and to establish links with policy making and review processes.

I.2 Thematic Area 2: Capacity Building

113. The goal here is to strengthen and build the capacity of policy makers, field workers and farmers on appropriate approaches to integrating gender in agriculture and climate change.



114. Capacity building of all the key stakeholders on approaches to integrate gender in agriculture and climate change is an important key area that will contribute to the promotion of economic development. Although the ratios are varied, COMESA is determined to increase the number of women and youths who participate in the private sector. The advent of climate change poses a major challenge especially in the context of agriculture. In this respect COMESA will develop and support access to economic instruments, promote and facilitate appropriate technology transfer and skills development to improve climate resilience. 115. This will require that a framework for crediting and financial strategies for agriculture and climate change programme is developed and implemented and the pre-requisite capacities enhanced. 116. To achieve the above outcomes, the COMESA RESTRAP will develop skills and necessary capacity for all stakeholders. This will enable communities to take part in the effective delivery of COMESA and other RECs’ agriculture and climate change objectives. It will be necessary to develop specific and targeted training awareness, training modules and curricula. The COMESA RESTRAP must establish, within the Member States of the three RECs, national forums with an aim of increasing access to networks and markets by promoting and providing guidance on financial skills training and build climate change resilience through mitigation and adaptation. 117. To achieve the above outcomes, the following activities will be undertaken:

a. Facilitate national institutions to increase the enrolment of women in extension services i. Identify vulnerable locations and groups, ii. Promote training of female agricultural extension agents.

b. Review sensitisation and training modules for officers mainstreaming gender

in agriculture and climate change i. Facilitate the development of gender-sensitive data bases and systems

to consolidate women’s knowledge and experience in sustainable resource use and in particular on agricultural production systems

c. Engendering academic curriculums on agriculture and climate change i. Assist Member States to develop training modules on climate smart

agriculture and gender.

d. Undertake awareness creation programmes on gender inclusive climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives i. Identify regulatory and institutional distortions between the various

programmes in the agricultural sector and the response needed to improve adaptation

ii. Facilitate exchange of best practices on sustainable landscapes to enhance carbon sequestration, including REDD+ and AFOLU while ensuring fair sharing of benefits.

iii. Assist to identify opportunities to improve crop production, water harvesting and fuel and wood collection for vulnerable groups.



iv. Support alternative commodities that address gender specific vulnerabilities and are relevant to climate change adaptation.

v. Support Member States’ national agricultural and environment officers to obtain training in climate modelling, and data analysis to applications within the conservation agriculture, climate smart agriculture and AFOLU initiatives.

e. Promote the increased access of smallholder male, female and young farmers’ networks to regional and global markets i. Encourage discussions on removal of barriers or disincentives for

youths, women and men to forming associations ii. Promote a dialogue on ways of improving and challenges in the

implementation value chain and supply of agriculture inputs.

f. Facilitate REC Secretariats and national institution teams to create gender focal points in agricultural and climate change programmes i. Support the establishment of national focal points to promote women’s

participation in the agriculture and climate change processes.

g. Promote gender responsive budgeting in agricultural and climate change interventions i. Support the establishment of national focal points to promote women’s

participation in the agriculture and climate change processes

h. Encourage financial institutions to develop funding facilities tailor-made for small holder farmers in agribusiness and increase credit access i. Support training and develop capacities to strengthen women and

young people in business and entrepreneurship (marketing, trade, product design and innovation).

i. Develop methodologies to mainstream gender into Conservation Agriculture, Climate Smart Agriculture and AFOLU initiatives i. Compile a synthesis of the reporting by Member States on the

implementation of climate change and agriculture programme activities.

j. Facilitate gender awareness creation initiatives within public institutions’ disaster risk reduction and emergency facilities

i. Encourage discussion on awareness activities for disaster risk reduction.

k. Promote disaster response initiatives focused on organisations working with

both small scale women and men farmers at regional and national level i. Support improved early warning strategies for extreme climate

events. ii. Strengthen community based disaster preparedness and response

systems in the Member States. iii. Strengthen key disaster management institutions in the Member

States.



l. Promote and facilitate exchange of best practices forums on mitigation and adaptation actions among regional and national women’s and young people organisations

i. Encourage national dialogue on gender-considerate best practices for disaster risk reduction and preparedness

ii. Receive presentations from the climate change experts/UNFCCC national focal points.

I.3 Thematic Area 3: Institutional Framework

118. The goal here is to strengthen linkages between RECs and national institutions responsible for gender, agriculture and climate change at regional and national levels. 119. In a number of COMESA Member States, national institutions are not yet ready to engender agriculture within the context of global warming and climate and also to link the COMESA agricultural programmes to the Gender Policy objective. In this regard, it is important that linkages of farming communities with service providers and non-governmental organizations are strengthened. The level of activity in the number of gender sensitive agriculture extension services and climate change initiatives should also be increased in the Member States. 120. The improvements of suitable institutional frameworks, where appropriate, must ensure the RECs and national institutions are engaged. It is paramount for the RECs to identify mutual areas and collaborate. This approach should be replicated by the relevant ministries of agriculture, environment and gender coordinating the critical areas pertaining to climate smart agriculture.

a. Conduct a situation analysis of selected regional and national institutions to determine their capacity to integrate a gender perspective into agriculture and climate change initiatives.

i. Assess the impact of mainstreaming gender in agriculture and gender activities and programmes in the RECs and Member States.

b. Develop platforms in the Member States for exchange of information on

best practices on gender mainstreaming to agriculture and climate change. i. Promote exchange of best practices of institutions and organisations that

support female farmers’ leadership in farmer cooperatives and association.

ii. Develop Strategic Action Plans for implementation of gender sensitive climate change adaptation and mitigation programmes

iii. Undertake a review of the NAPAs and NAMAs to identify appropriateness and to identify opportunities for delivering on gender sensitive adaptation and mitigation programmes.

c. Promote the increased participation of national gender machineries and

mainstreaming of gender in the CAADP Compact signing process at REC and Member State level



i. Advocate for RECs and Member States to involve participation of gender experts from ministries, CSOs and NGOs in the CAADP Pre and Post Compact Signing Process.

d. Promote the increased participation of national gender machineries and

mainstreaming of gender in the development of the national agriculture and CA investment frameworks

i. Promote discussion on investment needs for engendering conservation agriculture.

I.4 Thematic Area 4: Building and Strengthening Strategic Partnerships

121. The goal here is to create and strengthen strategic partnerships and tripartite relations at international and regional levels including public private partnerships. 122. There is an opportunity for the COMESA region to benefit from the contribution that a partnership with the private sector can play. The partnership needs to go far beyond research for agricultural development. It is the nature of for-profit enterprises to bring products to the market and deliver value, including to smallholders. 123. PPPs can take a variety of forms. They are not limited to bilateral collaboration between a government agency and a private corporation. PPPs for sustainable agricultural development can also include, for example, multi-partner structures that bring together private companies with entities such as non-governmental organizations (NGO), university research institutes and foundations. 124. The activities under thematic area 4 on building and strengthening partnerships will identify PPPs with the potential for harmonisation of programmes/projects on agriculture and climate change to benefit women, youths and men. The opportunities for improving climate resilience through climate change adaptation and mitigation will be identified and implemented, for example in conservation agriculture. To achieve these outcomes, the following activities will be undertaken:

a. Ensure harmonization of programmes/projects on agriculture and climate change among RECs and national institutions

i. Promote study tours/visits to learn and share experiences on gender, agriculture and climate change initiatives.

b. Promote programmes/project coordination on climate change mitigation and

adaption programme i. Identify opportunities for project coordination on the basis of similarities on

priorities and preferences identified in 4.2.1 and 4.2.2 above.

c. Promote programme/project collaboration on specific thematic areas i. Collaborate with Member States on identifying capacity building initiatives to promote increased participation of youths and women in conservation agriculture and climate smart agriculture.



d. Identify and strengthen PPPs at Member State level on climate change

innovation, capacity enhancement and technologies transfer i. Promote the public-private partnerships in identifying climate resilient

seeds, to contribute to climate change adaptation and including PPPs and research institutions in the Member States on the promotion of appropriate climate technologies

e. Identify technical and financial programme/project assistance partnership at

national and regional levels i. Collaborate with Member States to provide financial support to eligible students in postgraduate studies in agriculture and environmental programmes.

ii. Promote the development of demonstration projects and activities that seek to build capacities of small holder male and female farmers in conservation agriculture and climate smart agriculture.

I.5 Thematic Area 5: Information, Communication and Publicity

125. The goal here is to establish an information management system focusing on gender, agriculture and climate change. 126. There is an increasing demand for improved social statistics, particularly gender statistics. In response to this demand, a number of tools are already in application to assist countries and governments produce gender disaggregated data. The data is intended not only to sensitise statistical data users and producers on the need for incorporating gender considerations into agricultural/rural statistics, but also to provide practical tools for gender-disaggregated data production and analysis. 127. Information on better agricultural production methods, on climate related disasters, on the availability of technology and a suite of other applications must be produced for use by women, youths and men within the RECs. 128. The COMESA agricultural programme and the climate change initiative will enhance their collaboration with stakeholders in Member States in the three RECs to develop facilities and networks for access to and sharing of agricultural information. Some areas of collaboration include improving efficiency, quality and relevance of knowledge exchange in agriculture, and using electronic media to enhance communication for rural development. 129. The activities under this thematic area will be to:

a. Create awareness and avail adequate agriculture and climate change

information especially targeting women, youths and men i. Enhance institutional, local communities and NGOs to undertake localised

risk and vulnerability assessments and the formulation of climate sensitive plans for agriculture activities.

ii. Encourage Member States to translate concepts (vulnerability, hazards, and livelihoods) into local languages to overcome challenges of communication of concepts during field exercises.



b. Establish knowledge-based information management system focusing on

gender, agriculture and climate change i. Assist Member States to identify adaptive options including through

application of knowledge to adjust agricultural practices to match future anticipated risks associated with climate change.

c. Produce and disseminate gender sensitive information and materials on

agriculture and climate change through RECs and Member States’ media centres

i. Assist Member States to build information networks on the impacts of climate change on the vulnerable groups segregated along gender and age

ii. Identify methods to share the information on the differences from 5.3.1 with local media and institutions in the RECs and Member States

iii. Facilitate the translation of publications into vernacular languages to increase farmers’ understanding of recommended technologies;

iv. Identify partner media houses and local TV stations; use the radio and local newspapers to increase awareness on agricultural development issues.

d. Sensitize decision makers, including high level and technical consultation

meetings on gender, agriculture and climate change and the long term impacts on sustainable development, economic growth and poverty reduction

i. Promote the development of national climate change strategies giving priority to policies to encourage engendering climate change adaptation and mitigation in the agriculture sector by Member States.

e. Incorporate an indicator system disaggregated by sex into information systems dealing with agricultural and climate change related issues

i. Develop gender responsive indicators for assessing project proposals, implementation and progress monitoring and evaluation.

ii. Promote the development of data and information on gender-specific GHG emission profiles for the agriculture sector, mitigative and adaptive capacity as well as the impacts of a change in the economic status of women on these parameters.10

iii. Develop data and information on the comparative vulnerability of women to climate change within the agricultural sector, recognising the differences in skills and knowledge.

I.6 Thematic Area 6: Research, Innovation and Technology

130. The goal here is to promote gender-equitable research supporting climate smart agricultural technologies. 131. The role of agricultural extension programmes in supporting climate smart agriculture has grown through the years. Climate smart agriculture must continue to make the results of agricultural research available to farmers and especially in view of the additional challenge to agriculture brought about by global warming and

10

The aim must include avoiding women taking up a male emissions profile while achieving an adaptive

capacity that is as good as the one of the average male



climate change. The farmers will need to adapt their traditional practices to new geographical areas, new crops, and urban markets. 132. The increase in rural poverty and the number of farmers left behind in innovation and technology skills transfer means it is utmost important and necessary to develop an integrated approach to agricultural education, research, and extension to enhance climate smart agriculture: there will be a need for greater innovation in the adaption of climate smart agriculture to the region. 133. The activities identified under this thematic area are the following:

a. Undertake baselines on gender, conservation agriculture practices and technologies in the Member States

i. Support gender sensitive agricultural research in regional and national agricultural institutions.

ii. Promote research to obtain more comprehensive data on gender aspects of agriculture and climate change to support climate smart agriculture.

iii. Facilitate assessment exercises of the acceptability of conservation agriculture, its impact on livelihoods and capacity building, technology skills and finance transfer resulting from conservation agriculture for use by Member States.

b. Create knowledge management networks on gender, agriculture and climate

change within the COMESA-EAC-SADC region i. Develop technical capacity at the REC and MS level on gender analysis,

gender audit, mainstreaming techniques and tool development.

c. Facilitate sensitisation initiatives on carbon trading project funds, exchanges and investments that integrate a gender approach in the COMESA-EAC-SADC regions

i. Promote clean energy use and management with a gender focus. ii. Identify opportunities for new private sector activities aimed at

reducing GHG emissions. iii. Identify opportunities for promoting sustainable energy use, including

the use of fuel wood among women. iv. Provide support to the development of project activities where

women-led organisations can succeed – such as the multi-nutrient blocks to improve digestibility of animal feeds; and the control of animal diseases related to climate change.

d. Engage and support universities and research institutions to undertake gender disaggregated research on AFOLU related matters.

i. Assist Member States to develop capacity for gender impact assessment mechanisms

ii. Provide support to women-led projects activities for agro-forestry and for application of forestry for reducing emissions from deforestation and land degradation and carbon trading.

e. Facilitate the development of gender appropriate conservation agriculture technologies in Member States



i. Promote the development of technologies aimed at reducing the workload of women and girls.

ii. Promote on-farm demonstrations to ensure technologies are appropriate

iii. Support MS to provide skills to CBOs, gender focused/partner institutions on technical skills related to the operation of conservation agriculture technologies.

I.7 Thematic Area 7: Resource Mobilisation 134. The goal here is to mobilise resources to implement the strategic framework at the regional and national levels. 135. Access to finance and technologies is one of the key challenges in the transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture. It is important to engage Members States and donors in the process of defining the resources envelope ranges from voluntary contributions; and inform and engage donors in support of the needs of impact focus areas to help catalyze the mobilization of extra budgetary resources. The focus areas represent flagship areas of work defined for the immediate future or to reflect emerging challenges.

a. Lobby RECs and Member States and dialogue with development partners on allocation of specific budgets for engendered agriculture and climate change regional adaptation programmes i. Provide a grant fund to regional associations to enhance the entry of

women’s enterprises into regional and international value chains ii. Provide budgetary support of projects under conservation agriculture

and climate smart agriculture for the women-led activities including in fisheries and aquaculture.

iii. Lobby for institutional and financial support to enable smallholders to make the transition to climate-smart agriculture.

b. Assist RECs and Member States to develop gender sensitive financing strategies and investment frameworks to support implementation of climate smart agriculture. i. Identify and support financial institutions and donor programmes that

target low-income and micro-scale women and youth entrepreneurs and producers in both the formal and informal sectors.

c. Harmonize regional funding and investment initiatives on climate smart agriculture and other adaptation programmes i. Identify funding sources for promoting soil and nutrient management

in at least 5 women and 5 youth-led project activities across the Member States

ii. Develop funding initiatives to promote climate smart agriculture on technologies across the region in at least 10 women-and 10 youth led project activities within the Member States.



d. Secure allocation of funding for climate change prevention, mitigation, adaptation and vulnerability reduction initiatives for women organisations/associations/cooperatives at regional and national levels i. Secure funding for project activities emphasising urban and peri-

urban agriculture projects for women and youths ii. Identify the financing needs to meet climate change and food

security challenges faced by the agricultural sector.

I.8 Thematic Area 8: Monitoring and Evaluation 136. The goal here is to develop and institute a monitoring and evaluation framework that addresses gender, agriculture and climate change. 137. The monitoring and evaluation framework intends to measure improvements in the welfare of women, children and families by establishing income indicators disaggregated by gender. Gender-disaggregated monitoring and evaluation is important because having standard measures strengthens individual projects. 138. The activities for thematic area 8 will enable the COMESA RESTRAP achieve its desired outcomes as below:

a. Develop and integrate gender sensitive indicators in agriculture and climate change mitigation and adaptation interventions

i. Develop baselines on the various indicators such as involving disaggregated data of men, women and youth; crop yield and resources available including technologies, skills and capacities.

b. Develop specific expertise for gender mainstreaming monitoring and evaluation in agriculture and climate mitigation and adaptation interventions i. Facilitate Train-a-Trainer workshops for national machineries and

farmer associations and team leaders to promote the use and application of indicator systems in the national institutions’ reporting systems

c. Promote increased understanding on gender mainstreaming indicators i. Promote gender mainstreaming monitoring and evaluation concepts ii. Support efforts to measure progress on the gender, agriculture and

development especially on the disaggregation of data of the envisaged activities

d. Promote increased demand for gender sensitive data for decision making

i. Identify policy reforms necessary to drive the gender processes and support agricultural growth including institutional capacity.

e. Incorporate an indicator system disaggregated by sex into the agricultural and climate change monitoring and evaluation tools within regional and national institutions dealing agriculture and environmental related issues i. Facilitate training programmes to promote the use and application of

indicator systems in the national institutions’ reporting systems ii. Facilitate the development of a format for periodic reporting on

indicators showing disaggregation by sex



iii. Develop training programmes to promote the use and application of indicator systems by the Member States and partner institutions in the reporting.

J. Implementation Strategy

139. The implementation strategy is outlined in the Table 4 in the Annex I. 140. The beneficiaries, most importantly and with deliberate focus, including women, have to be involved in planning, monitoring and reviewing. 141. The COMESA Directorate for Gender and Social Affairs, in close coordination with the Secretariat’s agriculture and climate change programme officers must seek to involve key stakeholders and partners in the planning and implementation of mainstreaming gender in climate change and agriculture. At the point when the strategy activities have to be rolled out at national level, all stakeholders must be involved. This is to take advantage of their potential and expertise to advance the key goals and objectives of the programme and as a result contribute to the attainment of the gender policy objective and the attainment of both COMESA’s and the Millennium Development Goals for sustainable development.

J.1 Communication Strategy 142. A communication plan must be developed to ensure the strategy and action plan are taken to stakeholders. This will ensure that the stakeholder expectations, results and outputs are understood by all. 143. The communication plan for RESTRAP on Gender, Agriculture and Climate Change must use the Communication Strategy and Plan for COMESA and specifically identify the target audience, key messages at each stage and the role of the media.

J.1 Linkages with development partners 144. The Secretariat has already signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with key partners. At an appropriate moment and as necessary the Directorate of Gender and Social Affairs may opt to initiate new agreements with new partners for implementation of specific activities. 145. The main focus of these partnerships is to strengthen the collaboration, provide coordination and leverage resources for implementation of programmes that will enhance regional integration. The existing partnerships include those with the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), the Eastern and Southern African Dairy Association (ESADA), the East African Farmers’ Federation (EAFF), the Eastern African Fine Coffees Association (EAFCA), the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (ASARECA) and the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN).



146. Presently, COMESA has strong partnerships with the World Bank, FAO, the World Food Programme (WFP), the Eastern and Southern Africa Seed Alliance (ESASA), Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), DFID, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Other partners working with COMESA include the Norwegian Government in the Climate Change Initiative, World Fish Centre and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) in Forestry Resources Management, and the Indian Government in Irrigation Development. 147. The Secretariat will further work in close collaboration with RUFORUM to promote engagement of national universities in development, research and agricultural training and education. The Member States have endorsed the signing of MoU between COMESA and RUFORUM. 148. The CAADP Unit will strengthen its partnerships with development institutions and international programmes including the TerrAfrica partnership towards increased adoption of sustainable land and water management in all farming and land use systems. K. Summary of consultations undertaken in the development of the

strategy: 149. In developing the RESTRAP on gender, agriculture and climate change, consultations were undertaken with some of the key stakeholders during the dates 12 August - 19 September 2011 (Zambia); 12-14 August 2011 (Kenya); 28-30 August 2011 (South Africa); 15-19 September 2011. The consultations included discussions with individuals from the following institutions: the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA); United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI); Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF); Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN); Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO); Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU); New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA). Several COMESA programmes and projects were also consulted. 150. A number of stakeholders are already partners with COMESA and are or have recently taken part in the various programmes. The stakeholders regard COMESA as a good partner and look forward to further this partnership in engendering agriculture and climate change programmes and activities. 151. The stakeholders have contributed to the development of the RESTRAP on gender, agriculture and climate change. The key activities and outcomes were refined during the consultations. In summary the discussions identified the following key issues:

a) Gender is a well received concept but more clarity is required to engender climate change.

b) Well developed baselines, disaggregated data and information are needed to allow an effective monitoring and evaluation programme.



c) There is readiness by all the stakeholders to take part and support the implementation of the COMESA RESTRAP on gender, agriculture and climate change.

d) The institutions have various expertise and strengths and may contribute to a successful implementation of the regional plan.

140. COMESA’s Agriculture, Climate Change and Gender Units/Divisions are expected to continue cooperating with the stakeholders. The possible contributions by the stakeholders to the attainment of the Goals and Outcomes are summarised as follows:



Institution / Organisation

Main Objective of Institution Possible partnership in the COMESA RESTRAP on

gender, agriculture and climate change (based on

Strengths)

ACTESA To implement agricultural programmes in the COMESA region and integrate small farmers into national, regional and international markets by accelerating the implementation of regional initiatives in agriculture, trade and investment.

Implementing Thematic Area 2 on Capacity Building and 4 on strengthening / building strategic partnerships with private sector

UNEP To assist African governments and major stakeholders in the coordination of an effective delivery of environmental capacity-building and technical support in response to country needs and priorities in addressing issues of climate change, energy crisis, the persistent extreme poverty, food insecurity, inadequate health services, political and social crisis in most cases linked to governance issues and unsustainable use of natural resources.

Implementing Thematic Area 2 on Capacity Building and 3 on Institutional Framework

ILRI ILRI works with partners worldwide to help poor people keep their farm animals alive and productive, increase and sustain their livestock and farm productivity and find profitable markets for their animal products. ILRI has a research group focussing on Poverty, Gender and Impact

Implementing Thematic Area 6 on Research, Innovation and Technology

EAFF The EAFF is an implementing partner of the COMESA Regional Agro-inputs Program (COMRAP). COMRAP is implemented through three components – Agro-dealer and agent training; Finance for small-holder farmers; Seed sector policy and development.

Implementing Thematic Area 2 on Capacity Building

FANRPAN FANRPAN links farmers, businesses, academia, researchers, donors, and national and regional governments to increase agricultural research and advocacy. FANRPAN establishes dialogue to allow exchange of ideas between farmers, researchers and policy makers.

Implementing Thematic Area 1 (Policy and Advocacy ) and 8 on Monitoring and Evaluation

FAO-REOSA The FAO Regional Emergency Office for Southern Africa (REOSA) provides coordination, technical and operational support in food security and agriculture Disaster Risk Reduction and Management to regional partners and FAO Country

Implementing Thematic Area 2 on Capacity Building and 3 on development of



Offices within the region. It has particular strengths in areas of Capacity Building, Technical Support and Information, Coordination and Advocacy,

Institutional Framework

SACAU SACAU is active on strengthening of the capacities of farmers’ organizations, voicing out African farmers concerns about climate change and advocating for farmer focused responses in the African agricultural sector and by providing agriculture related information to its members and stakeholders.

Implementing Thematic Area 2 on Capacity Building and 5 on Information, Communication and Publicity

NEPAD NEPAD is a stakeholder on the implementation of the CAADP and has strengths in enabling work that supports poverty eradication and socio-economic development. Some of the objectives include; enhancing private sector and supporting activities aimed at empowering African women and improving their lives.

Implementing Thematic Area 7 on Resource Mobilisation and 4 on strengthening / building strategic partnerships with private sector

PACJA PACJA promotes and advocates for climate-friendly and equity-based development to ensure that pro-poor and people-centred response measures are put into consideration as Africa seeks to mainstream climate change into national development strategies.

Implementing Thematic Area 2 on Capacity Building



L. Bibliography

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Costa Rica: GGCA. b. ASARECA. (2010). To Prioritise Research Areas in ASARECA's Gender

Mainstreaming Project of Policy Analysis and Advocacy programme. Transforming Agriculture for Improved Livelihoods (p. 1 to 54). Entebbe, Uganda: ASARECA.

c. Bank, A. D. (unknown). Gender Checklist: Agriculture . In A. D. Bank, Gender Checklist: Agriculture. unknown.

d. Bank, T. W. (unknown). Gender in Monitoring and Evaluation in Rural Development: A Tool Kit. Washington DC: The World Bank.

e. (2010). Gender in Agricultural Innovation and Education - An Overview. In w. bank, Research and Innovation (p. 257 to 316). New York.

f. Castle, m. F. (2011). Public-Private Partnerships and Sustainable Agricultural Development. Sustainability , 1064 to 1073.

g. Chishakwe, N. (2010). Southern Africa Sub-Regional Framework on Climate Chnage Programmes. Gaborone: SADC.

h. David Brown, T. S.-M. (2007). Access to Assets: Implications of Climate Change for Lang and Water Policies Management. UK: ODI.

i. Denmark, M. o. (2006). Dender-Sensitive Monitoring and Indicators - Technical Note. Copenhagen, Denmark: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

j. draft Resource Mobilisation Strategy. (2008). CoC IEE Working Groups I and III, (p. 1 to 5).

k. Eva Ludi, C. S. (2007). Climate Chnage and Agriculture: Agricultural Trade, Markets and Invetment. UK: ODI.

l. Foundation, B. a. (2008). Gender Impact Strategy for Agricultural Development. New York: Bill and Yolinda Gates Foundation.

m. Jennifer Olson, D. R. (2010). Gender, Agriculture and Climate Change: A Regional Analysis for USAID/East Africa. Washington: USAID.

n. Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, A. P. (2008). Gender and Agriculture. Gaborone, Botswana: Ministry of Agriculture.

o. Peskett, L. (2007). A Rough Guide to Climate Change and Agriculture. ODI. p. Piana, Y. L. (2006). Gender: The Missing Component of the Response to

Climate Change. Rome, Italy: FAO. q. rachel Slater, M. P.-M. (2007). Climate Change, Agricultural Growth and

Poverty Reduction. UK: ODI. r. Ramasamy, S. B. (2008). Community Based Adaptation in Action: A case

study fromn Bangladesh. Rome, Italy: FAO. s. Schulze, A. (2009). land Legislation and the Possibilities for Pastoral Risk

management and Adaptation to Climate Chnage - The Example of Mongolia. Rome, Italy: FAO.

t. Secretariat, C. (2001). gender Mainstreaming in Agriculture and Rural Development: A Reference Manual for Governments and other Stakeholders. London, UK: Commonwealth Secretariat.

u. Seniloli, M. (2010). gender Dimensions of Science and Technology in Agriculture and Climate Change: A Case Study Development of Sustainable



Agriculture in the Pacific (DSAP) Project. UN Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW). Paris, France: UNESCO.

v. Slater, R. (2007). Climate Change: Implications for DFID's Agriculture Policy. UK: ODI.

w. Spielman, D. J. (2004). Agricultural Sector Investment and the Role of Public-Private Partneships. African Development and Poverty Reduction: the Macro-Micro Linkage, Forum Paper 2004. Somerset West, South Africa: Cornell University.

x. Tippmann, R. (2008). promoting Investments in the Agricultural, Rural and Land Use Sectors - A Climate Change Investment Facility with Regional Platforms. COMESA Carbon Finance Workshop. Johannesburg, South Africa: UNCCD and COMESA.

y. unknown. (2011). Role of COMESA in Advancing Africa's Sustainable Development Agenda. unknown (p. 1 to 3). unknown: COMESA.

z. Zawedde, S. (2011). Outcomes of the African Development Forum (VII) on Climate Change, Gender and Youth: The Way Forward. Malabo, Equitorial Guinea: Economic Commission for Africa, United Nations.



M. Annex I: Implementation Strategy Table 2: Implementation strategy and action plan


Key actions Sub actions Intervention logic

Key Outcomes

Verifiable Indicators

Time-frame

Responsible Institutions

at Regional level

at National level

ICPs and I/Partners

1. Policy and advocacy

1.1 Advocate national and regional institutions to promote engendering land ownership and access policies

1.1.1. Support efforts to measure progress on gender, agriculture and development especially on the disaggregation of data of the envisaged activities

Engaging the key community leaders and national institutions of gender, local government authorities’ stakeholders in land policy reform and implementation.

Increased land ownership opportunities by men, women and youth farmers

Proportion of women owning land and title deeds

2011-2015

COMESA, SADC, EAC, CAP, Climate Change Initiative, CAADP

Member States, CSOs

1.1.2. Support CA and CSA project-related activities integrating male, youth and female smallholder



farmers designed to address gender disparities,

1.1.3. Support the production of materials and publications with the objective of addressing gender based stereotypes and cultural injustice.

1.2. Lobby Member States and RECs to engender agricultural and climate change policies

1.2.1. Lobby for MS to review and engender their agricultural and climate change national strategies and policies ;

Engage key regional and national stakeholders to formulate gender sensitive policies through consultative processes i.e. dialogue,

Engendered agricultural and climate change policies

Number of Consultative dialogue platforms and forums conducted

2011 - 2015

COMESA, SADC, SACAU, ACTESA, CCCI, COMRAP

Member States.

UNEP, UNDP, SACAU, WASAA, EAFF, FEMCOM



1.2.2. Provide training to Member States and RECs to provide them skills on how to incorporate gender concerns in the national programming cycle

roundtable meetings and stakeholder forums

1.2.3. Develop guidance for regional partners on gender equitable governance in trade and business associations;

1.3. Ensure that national, sub-regional and regional round table meetings on

1.3.1. Build capacity of regional and national groups

The selection process of negotiators to include representatives from

African climate change position approach taken to

Number of men and women participating in negotiating

2011 - 2015

COMESA, SADC, EAC, CAP, Climate Change Initiative,

Member States, CSOs

UNFCCC, UNDP, World Bank, AU, AfDB, UNEP,



climate change (and policy dialogues) include both men and women negotiators in the Africa climate change negotiations.

working on gender, agriculture and climate change to enhance their knowledge, skills and voice to engage in climate change debates internationally and locally.

Ministries of Gender, Agriculture and Environments to ensure gender balance.

UNFCCC processes CAADP, COMRAP

IFPRI

1.3.2. Intensify collaboration and information sharing with regional and national bodies, organisations and development partners working in the area of gender.



1.3.3. Facilitate the sharing of experiences and lessons learnt by awarding opportunities to take part in regional and international forum.

The climate change negotiation process engendered

COMESA, SADC, EAC, CCCI

Member States, CSOs

UNFCCC, UNDP, DFID, UNEP, AU, USAID, UNEP, NORAD,

1.3.4. Facilitate representative attendance of gender experts, negotiating teams and delegations to UNFCCC meetings

1.3.5. Ensure effective participation of gender experts and women’s organisation



s in consultative processes in formulation of adaptation, mitigation strategies and policies

1.4 Facilitate representative attendance of gender experts, negotiating teams and delegations to UNFCCC meetings

1.4.1. Offer guidance for incorporating women’s concerns and needs into normal planning processes

RECs and national institutions to mobilise gender experts and allocate budgetary support toward their participation

Gender experts mobilised

Number of gender experts participating in the UNFCCC

2011 - 2015

COMESA, SADC, EAC, CCCI, CAPs

Member States, national institutions (Universities, Ministries, CSOs)

UNFCCC, UNEP, USAID, NORAD, DFID, other

1.4.2. Identify major constraints that inhibit women from maximising their contribution to national development efforts

Budgetary support allocated



1.4.3. Stimulate dialogue with the national institutions on the kind of projects / programmes aimed at integrating women into the development processes

% increase of budgetary allocation

1.4.4. Identify and promote new knowledge for monitoring on-going adaptation practices and potential risks of mal-adaptation and to establish links with policy making and review



processes.

1.4.5 Facilitate national institutions (Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Gender) to mainstream gender into disaster risk management policies and planning

policies and planning documents

Gender mainstreamed in Ministries

Table 3 (continued): Implementation strategy and action plan


Key actions

Sub actions Intervention logic

Key Outcomes


Time-frame


at Regional

level

at National level

ICPs and

I/Partners

Capacity Building

2.1. Facilitate national institutions, including CSOs and

2.1.1. Identify vulnerable locations and groups

Sensitise National Extension service providers through trainings on

Both men and women engaged as extension services

Number of men and women service providers

2011-2015

COMESA, EAC, SADC

Member States, Ministries of Gender, Agriculture, Environment, CFU and

UNDP, FAO, CFU, SACAU, EAFF, NASFAM

2.1.2. Promote



Private Sector, to increase the enrolment of women in extension services

training of female agricultural extension agents

the process in engaging increased numbers of both men and women public and private to service providers

other

2.2. Review sensitisation and training modules for officers mainstreaming gender in agriculture and climate change value and supply chains

2.2.1. Facilitate the development of gender-sensitive data bases and systems to consolidate women’s knowledge and experience in sustainable resource use and in particular on agricultural production systems

RECs to assist MS national machineries of gender, agriculture and environment to develop modules to sensitise officers on gender mainstreaming in agriculture and climate change value and supply chain

Ministry officers of gender, agriculture and environment trained in mainstreaming gender

Number of officers trained

2011 - 2013

COMESA, SADC, EAC,

National Institutions, Member States, CSOs

UNDP, UNEP



2.3. Engendering academic curriculums on agriculture and climate change

2.3.1. Assist MS to develop training modules on climate smart agriculture and gender

Identify academic institutions incorporating agriculture and climate change i.e. in their curricula and advocate for the inclusion of a gender perspective

Gender perspective integrated into Curriculums focusing on agriculture and CA related educational programmes

Number of national academic institutions incorporating a gender perspective in agriculture and CA related programmes

2012-2013

COMESA, CAP, COMRAP, EAC, SADC,

National Institutions / Ministries, Member States, CSOs,

FEMCOM, UNDP, UNEP, FAO, NEPAD, RUFORUM and other ICPs

2.4. Undertake awareness creation programmes on gender inclusive climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives i.e. AFOLU, CSA and CA

2.4.1. Identify regulatory and institutional distortions between the various programmes in the agricultural sector and the response needed to improve adaptation

Organise awareness creation workshops at REC and MS level to sensitise Gender and Agriculture focal points and farmers networks on AFOLU programmes, including CA practices

REC Secretariats National institutions Gender, Agriculture and Environmental Focal points and farmer networks sensitised

Number of workshops and gender, agriculture and environmental focal point officer sensitised conducted at REC and MS level

2012-2015

COMESA, SADC, EAC, cap, ASRECA, COMRAP

MEMBER States, National institutions (Universities, Ministries, CSOs)

UNDP, UNEP, COMESA, UNESCO and MS, SACAU, EAFF, FANRPAN and other ICPs

2.4.2. Facilitate exchange of



practices at REC and MS levels

best practices on sustainable landscapes to enhance carbon sequestration, including REDD+ and AFOLU while ensuring fair sharing of benefits.

2.4.3. Assist to identify opportunities to improve crop production, water harvesting and fuel and wood collection for vulnerable groups.

2.4.4. Support alternative commodities



that address gender specific vulnerabilities and are relevant to climate change adaptation.

2.4.5. Support MS National Agricultural and Environment officers to obtain training in climate modelling, GOS and data analysis to applications within the CA, CSA and AFOLU initiatives





Key actions Sub actions

Intervention logic

Key Outcomes


Time-frame


at Regional level

at National

level

ICPs and I/Partners

Capacity Building

2.5. Promote the increased access of smallholder male, female and young farmers’ networks to regional and global markets i.e. AGOA

2.5.2 Promote a dialogue on ways of improving and challenges in the implementation value chain and supply of agriculture inputs

RECs and ICPs to facilitate MS to conduct training workshops for targeted small holder male, female and youth farmers networks focusing agriculture value and supply challenges i.e. farm inputs, technology, service provision , management skills, market information

Targeted male and female small holder farmers networks trained on the agricultural value and supply challenges

Number of small holder farmer networks focusing on male and female farmers trained on the agricultural value and supply challenges

2012- 2015

COMESA, SADC, SACU, EAC,

MEMBER States, National institutions (Universities, Ministries, CSOs)

EAFF, ACTESA, COMRAP, ASARECA, UNDP, UNEP, FAO, WASAA-EA, and other ICPs



and REC existing programmes i.e. ACTESA, COMRAP and Trade

2.6. Facilitate REC Secretariats and national institutions to create gender focal points in agricultural and climate change programmes

2.6.1. Encourage discussions on removal of barriers or disincentives for youth, women and men to forming associations

REC Secretariats and MS programmes focusing on agriculture and climate change to establish gender focal points within their programme structures

Established gender focal points within agriculture and climate change programme structures.

Number of established gender focal points

2011 - 2015

COMESA, EAC, SADC , CAADP, CAPs

Member States, national institutions (Universities, Ministries, CSOs)

UNDP, FAO, CFU, SACAU, and other partners

2.7. Promote gender responsive budgeting at REC and MS level in agricultural

2.7.1. Support the establishment of national focal

RECs and MS to undertake training workshops on gender responsive

Agriculture and Climate Change programme officers at REC and MS trained in

Number of training workshops conducted and officers trained

2012-2014

COMESA, SADC, EAC,

Member States, national institutions (universities, Ministries,

EAFF, SACAU, WASAA, NASFAM, FAO, UNDP, UNEP,



and climate change interventions, i.e. CA practices

points to promote women’s participation in agriculture and climate change processes.

budgeting in agriculture and climate change related programme interventions

gender responsive budgeting

CSOs) FANRPAN

2.8. Encourage financial institutions to develop funding facilities tailor-made for small holder farmers in agribusiness and increase credit access

2.8.1. Support training and develop capacities to strengthen women and young people in business and entrepreneurship (marketing, trade, product design and

RECs and MS to facilitate consultative sessions with selected banks and Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) to create credit access facilities tailor-made for small holder farmer networks

Held consultative meetings with selected banks and MFIs within the region

Number of consultative meetings held with selected banks and MFIs

2012- 2015

COMESA, SADC, EAC

Member States, national institutions (universities, Ministries, CSOs)

USAID, MFIs, PTA, AfDB



innovation).

and associations within the regions.

2.9. Develop methodologies to mainstream gender into CA, CSA and AFOLU initiatives

2.9.1 compile a synthesis of the reporting by Member States on the implementation of Climate Change and Agriculture programme activities

RECS, MS facilitate discussion on gender monitoring methods

Consultations on methodologies and standards

Number of activities reporting on gender.

COMESA, SADC, EAC, CAADP, CCCI

MS, Gender Govt Ministries

USAID, FAO, UNEP, SIDA, FANRPAN, WMO, N/REWU, other ICPs

2.10. Facilitate gender awareness initiatives within public institutions’ DRR and emergency facilities

2.10.1 Encourage discussion on awareness activities for DRR






2.11. Promote disaster response initiatives focused on organisations working with both small scale women and men farmers at regional and national level

2.11.1. Support improved early warning strategies for extreme climate events.




COMESA, SADC, EAC, CAADP, CCCI

MS, Gender Govt Ministries

USAID, FAO, UNEP, SIDA, FANRPAN, WMO, N/REWU, other ICPs

2.11.2. Strengthen community based disaster preparedness and response systems in the Member States.

2.11.3. Strengthen key disaster management



institutions in the Member States.

2.12. Promote and facilitate exchange of best practices forums on mitigation and adaptation actions among regional and national women’s and young people organisations

2.12.1. Encourage national dialogue on gender-considerate best practices for DRR and disaster preparedness

COMESA, EAC, SADC, CCCI

Member States, UNFCCC, national meteorological services

UNFCCC, USAID, FAO, AfDB, NEPAD

2.12.2. Recieve presentations from the Climate Change Experts / UNFCCC National Focal Points (from Member



States) on NAPA and NAMA





Key actions

Sub actions

Intervention logic

Key Outcomes


Time-frame


at Regional

level

at National

level

ICPs and I/Partners

Institutional Framework

3.1. Conduct a situational analysis of selected regional and national institutions to determine their capacity to integrate a gender perspective into agriculture and climate change initiatives.

3.1.1. Assess the impact of mainstreaming gender in the agriculture and gender activities and programmes in the RECs and Member States

RECs to facilitate baselines on selected regional and national institutions regarding integration of gender concerns in agriculture and climate change programme initiatives

Identified institutional programme gaps, strengths and challenges in the integration of gender concerns

Number of regional and national institutions assessed

2011 2015

COMESA, SADC, EAC,

Member States, Ministries of Gender, Agriculture, Environment, and other

USAID, EAFF, SACAU, UNDP, FAO, UNEP, CFU

3.2. Develop platforms in the Member States for exchange of information

3.2.1. Promote exchange of best practices of institutions and

MS to design and implement NAPAs and NAMAs initiatives with the participation of

Developed Strategic Action Plans on NAPAs and NAMAs initiatives that are gender

Number of NAPAs and NAPAs SAPs that are gender

2011 - 2015

COMESA, SADC, EAC,

Member States, Ministries

UNDP, DFID, EU, CFU,CSO



on “best practices” on gender mainstreaming to agriculture and climate change.

organisations that support female farmers leadership in farmer cooperatives and association

National Gender Machineries, gender experts and CSO

sensitive sensitive

3.3. Develop Strategic Action Plans (SAPs) for implementation of gender sensitive climate change adaptation and mitigation programmes i.e. National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPAs) and

3.3.1. Assist ME undertake a review of the NAPAs and NAMAs to identify appropriateness and to identify opportunities for delivering on gender sensitive adaptation and mitigation programmes.

MS to increase the participation of national gender machineries (Ministry of Gender, Gender Focal Points , Experts AND CSOs) and gender mainstreaming in the CAADP Compact Signing Processes

Increased participation of national gender machineries and gender mainstreaming in the CAADP Compact Signing Process

Number of national gender machineries representatives participation in CAADP Compact Signing Process

2011 - 2015

COMESA, SADC, EAC, FANRPAN, EAFF, COMRAP, CCCI

Member States, Ministries of Gender, Agriculture, Environment, and other

NEPAD, AU, UNDP, UNFCCC, UNEP, other ICPs



Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) at REC and MS level

3.4. Promote the increased participation of national gender machineries and mainstreaming of gender in the CAADP Compact Signing Process at REC and MS level

3.4.1. Advocate RECs and MS to involve participation of gender experts from ministries, CSOs and NGOs in the CAADP Pre and Post Compact Signing Process

MS to facilitate the participation of national gender machineries (Ministry of Gender, Gender Focal Points , Experts AND CSOs) in the development of national agriculture and CA investment frameworks

Increased participation of gender representatives in the development of agriculture and CA national investment frameworks

Number of gender representatives involved in the development of national investment frameworks

2011 - 2012

COMESA, SADC, EAC, COMRAP, CAADP

Member States, Ministries of Gender, Agriculture, Environment, CSOs and other

AU, UNDP,

3.5. Promote the increased participation of national gender machineries and

3.5.1 Promote discussion on investment needs for engendering CA.

Engendered national agricultural and CA investment frameworks.



mainstreaming of gender in the development of the national agriculture and CA investment frameworks





Key actions Sub actions Intervention logic Key Outcomes Verifiable Indicators

Time-frame


at Regional

level

at National

level

ICPs and I/Partners

Building and Strengthening Strategic Partnerships

4.1. Ensure harmonization of programmes/projects on agriculture and climate change among RECs and National institutions

4.1.1 Promote study tours/visits to learn and share experiences on gender, agriculture and climate change initiatives.

Facilitate joint missions and consultative meetings to harmonise programme/projects at REC level and MS

Harmonised programme/project areas

Validation missions and meetings with RECs and MS

2011 - 2012

COMESA, SADC, EAC, CCCI, CAPs

MS, CSOs, Ministries,

USAID, FAO, AU, UNDP, UNEP, FANRPAN, ASARECA EAFF, SACAU and other ICPs 4.2. Promote

Programmes/project coordination on Climate change mitigation and adaption programme, i.e. CA related activities and with RECS/ICPs

4.2.1. Identify opportunities for improving project coordination on the basis of shared experiences

Coordinate programmes/project with RECS/ICPs

RECs/ICPs synergy and coordination of programme/project areas promoted

Consultative meetings and documentation programme/project agreements

2011 - 2013

4.3. Promote programme/project collaboration on specific thematic areas with national/ regional/ICP

4.3.1. Collaborate with MS on identifying capacity building initiatives to promote increased participation of youths and

Hold consultative sessions with national/regional/ICPs (UNEP, IUCN, AMCEN) to identify specific programme/project areas of collaboration Strengthen regional

National/RECs/ICPs programme collaboration promoted

Consultative meetings held and identified Programme/project area of collaboration agreements



women in CA and CSA practices

institutional collaboration and strategic policy dialogue, in particular with African Union Commission, AMCEN, other RECs, on climate change issues and negotiations

4.4. Identify and strengthen PPPs at MS level on climate change innovation, capacity enhancement and technologies transfer

4.4.1. Promote the public-private partnerships in identifying climate resilient seeds, to contribute to climate change adaptation and including PPPs and research institutions in the Member States on the promotion of appropriate / climate technologies

RECs and MS to identify potential public and private sector partnerships and strengthen existing PPPs at MS level

PPPs identified and strengthened at MS level

Number of private-public-partnerships identified and/or established to mobilize finance and to increase investments in mitigation and adaptation programmes/projects

2011 - 2015

COMESA, SADC, EAC,

Member States, Ministry of Agriculture

USAID, FAO, AU, UNDP, UNEP, FANRPAN, ASARECA and other ICPs

4.5. Identify technical and financial programme/project assistance partnership at

4.5.1. Collaborate with MS to provide financial support to eligible students in postgraduate

RECs and MS to identify possible programme/project financial and technical assistance partners at national/regional/global

Identified and established financial and technical assistance mechanisms

Number of sustainable financing and technical assistance mechanisms identified for policy,

COMESA, SADC, EAC,

Ministries of Trade, of Gender, Private Sector

USAID, FAO, UNDP, other ICPs



national and regional levels

studies in agriculture and environmental programmes.

levels institutional reforms and capacity building

4.5.2. Promote the development of demonstration projects and activities that seek to build capacities of small holder male and female farmers in CA and CSA






Key Outcomes


Time-frame


at Regio

nal level

at National

level

ICPs and I/Partners

Information, Communication and Publicity

5.1. Create awareness and avail adequate agriculture and climate change information especially targeting women, youth and men

5.1.1. Enhance institutional, local communities and NGOs to undertake localised risk and vulnerability assessments and the formulation of climate sensitive plans for agriculture activities

Organize theatre, seminars, and workshops, meetings for youth and women for agricultural information dissemination.

More women and youth are well informed on agriculture, climate change and gender issues.

Information available and women and youth are aware of issues of gender and agriculture.

2012 - 2015

EAC, SADC, COMESA, CCCI, ASARECA

Member States, Ministries, CSOs

EU, NORWEGIAN, DFID, USAID, UNDP, FAO, SACAU, EAFF, AU,

Development of agriculture and climate change information system Wide

publicity, information and understanding about gender, agriculture and climate change in the region

Proportions of men and women knowledgeable about issues of gender, agriculture and climate change

5.1.2. Translate concepts (vulnerability, hazards, and livelihoods) into local languages to overcome challenges of communication of concepts during field exercises.

RECs and MS to engage the media and regularly provide information for publication on agriculture and climate change with gender perspectives

5.2. Establish knowledge-

5.2.1. Assist MS to identify adaptive

Support RECs and MS to

Regional agricultura

User-friendly

EAC, SADC,

Member

EU, NORWEGI



based information management system focusing on gender, agriculture and climate change

options including through application of knowledge to adjust agricultural practices to match future anticipated risks associated with climate change

strengthen their institutional capacities for information management

l information system in place focusing on gender, agriculture and climate.

agricultural information platforms accessible to all including farmers

COMESA, CCCI, ASARECA

States, Ministries, CSOs

AN, DFID, USAID, UNDP, FAO, SACAU, EAFF, AU,

Facilitate skills enhancement for responsible professionals

Skilled personnel responsible for management of information systems

Number of trained information management professionals

5.3. Produce and disseminate gender sensitive information and materials on agriculture and climate change through RECs and MS media centres.

5.3.1. Assist Ms to build information networks on the impacts of climate change on the vulnerable groups segregated along gender and age

Facilitate the development of communication instruments such as e-newsletters, brochures and various on-line communication tools

RECs and MS information production and dissemination mechanisms put in place

Types of information and communication tools/mechanisms available at media centres

EAC, SADC, COMESA, CCCI, ASARECA

Member States, Ministries, CSOs, UNFCCC National Focal Point

EU, NORWEGIAN, DFID, UNFCCC, USAID, UNDP, FAO, SACAU, EAFF, AU, FANRPAN

5.3.2. Identify methods to share the information with local media and institutions

Usage and access rate in terms of



in the RECs and Member States

numbers of men and women accessing information through various means

s

5.3.3. Facilitate the translation of publications into vernacular languages to increase farmers’ understanding of recommended technologies;

Develop a COMESA-EAC-SADC gender, agriculture and climate change information, communication, knowledge sharing network

Regional information and communication network in place

5.3.4. Identify partner media houses and local TV stations; use the radio and local newspapers to increase awareness on agricultural development issues.

5.4. Sensitize decision makers, including high level and technical consultation meetings on gender, agriculture and climate change and the long term impacts on

5.4.1. Promote the development of national climate change strategies giving priority to policies to encourage engendering climate change adaptation and mitigation in the agriculture sector by MS


Informed, knowledgeable stakeholders

Increased sensitivity on engendered agriculture and climate change initiatives among decision makers

EAC, COMESA, SADC, CCCI, ASARECA

Member States, CSOs, UNFCCC National Focal Points, Unive

EU, SIDA, AU, USAID, UNFCCC, FANRPAN,



sustainable development, economic growth and poverty reduction

rsities






Key Outcomes


Time-frame


at Regional

level

at National level

ICPs and I/Partners

Information, Communication and Publicity

5.5. Incorporate an indicator system disaggregated by sex into information system dealing with agricultural and climate change related issues

5.5.1. Develop gender responsive indicators for assessing project, proposals, implementation and progress monitoring and evaluation.


Stakeholder buy-in

Increased stakeholder participation and support

EAC, COMESA, SADC, CCCI, ASARECA

Member States, CSOs, UNFCCC National Focal Points, Universities

EU, SIDA, AU, USAID, UNFCCC, FANRPAN,

5.5.2. Promote the development of data and information on gender specific GHG emission profiles for the agriculture sector, mitigative and adaptive capacity as well



as the impacts of a change in the ‘economic’ status of women on these parameters.

5.5.3. Develop data and information on the comparative vulnerability of women to climate change within the agriculture sector, recognising the differences in skills and knowledge





Key actions


Key Outcomes


Time-frame


at Regio

nal level

at Nation

al level

ICPs and I/Partners

Research, Innovation and Technology

6.1. Undertake baselines on Gender, CA practices and technologies n COMESA member states.

6.1.1. Support gender sensitive agricultural research in regional and national agricultural institutions

RECs and MS to conduct baselines on CA practices and gender to collate gender disaggregated data to inform designed interventions

Gender disaggregated data on CA practices collected

Baselines undertaken in selected MS

2012 - 2015

COMESA, SADC, EAC, ASARECA, CAADP

MS, National Universities, Ministries, CSOs

USAID, UNESCO, UNDP, FAO, EAFF, CIMMYT, FANRPAN, CIFOR, ICRAF, GART, CFU,

6.1.2. Promote research to obtain more comprehensive data on gender aspects of agriculture and climate change to support climate smart agriculture.

6.1.3. Facilitate assessment exercises of the acceptability of CA, its impact on livelihoods and capacity building, technology skills and finance transfer resulting from CA for use by Member States.

6.2. Create knowledge management

6.2.1. Develop technical capacity at the REC and MS level on gender analysis, gender audit, mainstreaming techniques, tool development,

RECs and MS to establish regional and national knowledge networks that

Gender, Agriculture Climate change knowledge network

Number of regional and national identified

COMESA, EAC, SADC, CAADP,

MS, National Universities, Ministri

USAID, UNESCO, UNDP, FAO, EAFF, CIMMYT,



networks on gender, agriculture and climate change within the COMESA –EAC- SADC region

generates scientific data and analysis that is gender disaggregated on agriculture and climate change mitigation and adaptation

operational knowledge networks

ASARECA, ACTESA, COMRAP, CCCI,

es, CSOs

FANRPAN, CIFOR, ICRAF, GART, CFU,

RECs and MS to organise annual regional scientific symposium to share and disseminate the gender disaggregated data and analysis

At least one demand driven and gender sensitive scientific research paper on Agriculture and Climate Change commissioned

Regional scientific symposium held

6.3. Facilitate sensitisation initiatives on carbon trading

6.3.1. Promote clean energy use and management with gender focus

RECs and MS to organise sensitisation forums for national institutions and farmer networks

National institutional officers of agriculture, gender and environme

At least 2 training sessions in availability of and

2012 - 2014

EAC, COMESA, SADC, CCCI,

Member States, CSOs, UNFCCC Nation

USAID, UNESCO, UNDP, FAO, EAFF, CIMMYT, UNFCCC,

6.3.2. Identify opportunities for new private sector activities aimed at reducing



project funds, exchanges and investments that integrate a gender approach in the COMESA-EAC-SADC regions.

GHG emissions on local, regional and international carbon trade projects that integrate a gender focus

nt and farmer networks in the region sensitised on gender sensitive carbon trading project funding, exchanges and investments

access to carbon funds, exchanges and other carbon investment instruments held in member states from 2011 per annum.

al Focal Points, Universities

FANRPAN, CIFOR, ICRAF, GART, EU, CFU,

6.3.3. Identify opportunities for promoting sustainable energy use including the use of fuel wood among women.

6.3.4. Provide support to the development of project activities where women-led organisations can succeed – such as Multi-nutrient blocks to improve digestibility of animal feeds; Control of animal diseases related to climate change (Rift Valley Fever...); Improving Milk production

6.4. Engage and support Universities and Research institutions to undertake gender disaggregated research on

6.4.1. Assist MS develop capacity for gender impact assessment mechanisms

RECs and MS to identify and provide support to universities and research institutions to collect and disseminate gender disaggregated data and analyses on AFOLU applications

At least one demand driven policy gender integrative document on AFOLU related applications prepared and

Study on gender sensitive AFOLU applications

2012 - 2015

COMESA, SADC, EAC, EAFF, FANRPAN, UNDP, FAO, RECS, MS, CSO

Member States, CSOs, UNFCCC National Focal Points, Universities Private Sector

USAID, Norwegian Aid, UNDP, GART, CFU, ICRAF, FANRPAN

6.4.2. Provide support to women-led projects activities for Agroforestry and for application of forestry for reducing emissions from deforestation and land degradation (REDD) and carbon trading.



AFOLU related matters.

presented for discussion at policy organ meetings

6.5. Facilitate the development of gender appropriate CA technologies in MS.

6.5.1. Promote the development of technologies aimed at reducing the workload of women and girls.

RECs to provide technical and financial support for the development of gender appropriate CA technologies

Gender appropriate tailor-made CA technologies developed and made available in MS.

Number of female farmers applying CA technologies in the region

6.5.2. Promote on-farm demonstrations to ensure technologies are appropriate

6.5.3. Support MS to provide skills to CBOs, gender focussed / partner institutions on technical skills related to the operation of CA technologies.





Key actions


Key Outcomes


Time-frame


at Regio

nal level

at Nation

al level

ICPs and I/Partners

Resource Mobilisation

7.1. Lobby RECs and MS and dialogue with development partners on allocation of specific budgets for engendered agriculture and climate change regional adaptation programmes

7.1.1. Provide a grant fund to regional associations to enhance the entry of women’s enterprises into regional and international value chains

Formulate a resource mobilization strategy and engage RECs and MS to allocate specific budgets for agriculture and climate change priority areas with a gender focus

Increased funding for gender related agriculture and climate change activities at local, national and regional levels

Proportion of budget allocation to gender, agriculture and climate change related activities

2012 -2015

COMESA-EAC-SADC, COMESA Finance Unit

MS Governments, NSAs and private sector

USAID, Norwegian Aid, UNDP, UNFCCC, FANRPAN, SACAU, EAFF,UNEP, FAO, WFP, GART,

7.1.2. Provide budgetary support of projects under CA and CSA for the women-led activities including in fisheries and aquaculture.

7.1.3. Lobby for institutional and financial support to enable smallholders to make the transition to climate-smart agriculture.

7.2. Assist RECs and MS to

7.2.1. Identify and support financial institutions and donor programmes that target low-

RECs and MS facilitate access to

Increased financial support

MS increased uptake of



develop Gender sensitive financing strategies and investment frameworks to support implementation of Climate Smart Agriculture – CA and other adaptation programmes

income and micro-scale women and youth entrepreneurs and producers in both the formal and informal sectors

global climate change investment funding opportunities to support CA

from global climate change investment funds

Climate-Smart Agriculture programmes

Availability of gender responsive climate change financing mechanisms for AFOLU initiatives

7.3. Harmonize regional funding and investment initiatives on Climate Smart Agriculture and other adaptation

7.3.1. Identify funding sources for promoting soil and nutrient management in at least 5 women and 5 youth-led project activities across the Member States

Through RECs, establish regional investment coordination structures to facilitate the financing of CA and other adaptation initiatives

Coordinated management of resource mobilization initiatives for CA and other adaptation

Unified approaches to regional financing of investments in CA and other adaptation initiatives

7.3.2. Develop funding initiatives to promote Climate Smart Agriculture on technologies across the Region in at least 10 women-and 10 youth led project



programmes

activities within the Member States

initiatives

7.4. Secure allocation of funding for climate change prevention, mitigation, adaptation and vulnerability reduction initiatives for women organisations/associations/cooperatives at regional and national levels

7.4.1. Secure funding for project activities with women and youth emphasis such as urban and peri-urban agriculture projects; bio-gas programmes/project activities;

7.4.2. Identify the financing needs to meet climate change and food security challenges faced by the agriculture sector.






Key Outcomes


Time-frame


at Regio

nal level

at Nation

al level

ICPs and I/Partners

Monitoring and Evaluation

8.1. Develop and integrate gender sensitive indicators in agriculture and climate change mitigation and adaptation interventions

8.1.1. Develop baselines on the various indicators such as involving disaggregated data of men, women and youth; crop yield and resources available including technologies, skills and capacities.

RECs to facilitate desk review of gender sensitive M&E best practice and tools

Relevant, effective, efficient and quality of programme delivery

Number of gender sensitive indicators / measures build into country programme

2012 - 2015

COMESA-SADC-EAC, Gender Unit

MS (Ministry of Agriculture, Environment, Gender)

UNDP, DFID, PACJA, RESAKSS, EAFF, SACAU Norwegian Aid, EU, WB

8.2. Develop specific expertise for gender mainstreaming M&E in agriculture and climate mitigation and adaptation interventions,

8.2.1. Facilitate Train-a-Trainer workshops for national machineries (agriculture and environment) and farmer associations team leaders (men and women) to promote the use and application of indicator systems in the national institutions’ reporting systems

RECs and MS to initiate the development of gender sensitive M&E framework/guide for Secretariat and Ministry of Agriculture (MOA),

Adherence to targets and budgets and to programme standards

Number of country experts/ programmes/ projects developed & reporting on gender



i.e. CA related activities

Ministry of Gender (MOG), Ministry of Environment (MOE) programmes on CA and mitigation strategies

8.3. Promote increased understanding on gender indicators/ mainstreaming

8.3.1 Promote gender mainstreaming monitoring and evaluation concepts

COMESA to facilitate publicity on gender sensitive M&E on CA related activities to COMESA member states

Agricultural and Climate mitigation and adaptation programmes reporting on gender disaggregated data

% increase in money (budget) allocated



UNDP, DFID, PACJA, RESAKSS, EAFF, SACAU Norwegian Aid, EU, WB and other ICPs

Member states more knowledgeable about gender sensitive



M&E

Widespread gender sensitive reporting and learning

8.4. Promote increased demand for gender sensitive data/information for decision making/policy

8.4.1. Identify policy reforms necessary to drive the gender processes and support agricultural growth including institutional capacity.

RECs and MS to conduct baseline stud

Increased budgeting / investments towards gender mainstreaming in agriculture and climate change strategies

Number of countries programmes/ projects implementing gender sensitive policies



UNDP, DFID, PACJA, RESAKSS, EAFF, SACAU Norwegian Aid, EU, WB and other ICPs

8.5. Incorporate an indicator system disaggregated by sex into the agricultural and climate change M & E tools within regional and

8.5.1. Facilitate training programmes to promote the use and application of indicator systems in the national institutions’ reporting systems

RECs and MS to conduct training workshops on gender sensitive M&E for members States on agriculture and climate

8.5.2. Facilitate the development of a format for periodic reporting on indicators showing disaggregation by sex



national institutions dealing agriculture and environmental related issues

8.5.3. Develop training programmes to promote the use and application of indicator systems by the MS and partner institutions in the reporting

mitigation and adaptation interventions, i.e. CA practices



N. Annex II: List of institutions and Individuals visited and consulted

# Surname Name(s) Institution

Position Telephone: e-mail

Line Cell

1 Mathende Julius ACTESA11

COMRAP Programme Manager

+260211253576

+260955222299

[email protected]

2 Kinuthia-Njenga

Cecila UNEP12 Regional Programme Coordinator

+271223548092

+27713808730

[email protected]

3 Kanyangarara Mclay COMESA Climate Change Advisor +260211225110

+260966740854

[email protected]

4 Kalonji Thierry Mutombo

COMESA Ai, Investment promotion and Private Sector Development

+260211229732

+260979211367

[email protected]

5 Jeranyama Gordon M.

COMESA Finance Officer +260211229725

[email protected]

6 Njuki Jemimah

ILRI13 Scientist, Poverty and Gender Group

+254204223832

+254721307272

[email protected]

7 Mugoya Mainza EAFF14 Programme Officer, Policy and Advocacy

+254204451691

+254731671465

[email protected]

8 Bwalya Daniel M.

COMESA Project Accountant COMESA/USAID

+260211229725

+260977400502

[email protected]

9 Madzivhandila Tshilidzi FANRPAN15

Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator

+27128042966

+27840393695

[email protected]

10

Kara Gertrude FAO16 HIV, Gender & Nutrition Officer

+27115171500

+27727525029

[email protected]

11

Holleman Cindy FAO Regional Emergency Coordinator for Southern Africa

+27115171602

+27726149424

[email protected]

11

Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa; 12

United Nations Environment Programme 13

International Livestock Research Institute 14

Eastern Africa Farmers Federation 15

Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network 16

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations

mailto:[email protected]




















12

Msiska Frederick B. M.

COMESA Regional Coordinator, Guiding Investments for strengthening Agriculture Markets in Africa

+260211229725

+260977666029

[email protected]

13

Hove Lewis FAO FAO Regional Conservation Agriculture Coordinator

+27115171627

+27829081470

[email protected]

14

Kanyarukiga Sam COMESA Senior Agricultural Advisor / CAADP Coordinator

+260211229725

+260969245789

[email protected]

15

Ahamada Andjouza

COMESA Social and Cultural Affairs Officer

+260211229725

+260974108943

[email protected]

16

Mutamba Manyewu

SACAU17 Analyst +27126440808

[email protected]

17

Aubin Stephanie

SACAU Technical Assistant, Policy Development

+27126440808

+27782569988

[email protected]

18

Lo Ndeye Rosalie

NEPAD18 Advisor, Gender, Parliamentary Affairs & Civil Society Organisation

+27112563658

+27718508559

[email protected]

19

Mwenda Mithika PACJA19 Coordinator +254204443626

+254724403555

[email protected]

20

Gounden Yuven FANRPAN

Communication and Advocacy Manager

+27128042966

+27714708330

[email protected]

17

Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions 18

New Partnership for Africa’s Development 19

Pan African Climate Justice Alliance














Documents

COMESA Strategic Framework – Mainstreaming Gender in