“Integrating Gender in Food Security Programming: The Feed the Future Initiative”, Sylvia Cabus, USAID, Washington, D.C.

1. Integrating Gender in
Food Security Programming:
The Feed the Future
Initiative
Sylvia Cabus
USAID/Bureau for Food Security
November 2011

2. the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative
“...the United States is leading an effort to reach out to
people around the world who are suffering, to provide them
immediate assistance and to extend support for food security that
will help them lift themselves out of poverty. All of us must join
together in this effort, not just because it is right, but because by
providing assistance to those countries most in need, we will
provide new markets, we will drive the growth of the future that
lifts all of us up.”
President Barack Obama
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3. About Feed the Future
Feed the Future pursues two paths:
• Addressing the root causes of hunger that limit the potential of
millions of people; and
• Establishing a lasting foundation for change by aligning our resources
with country-owned strategies and supporting local capacity.
Key Objectives
• Inclusive Agriculture Sector Growth
• Improve Nutritional Status
Cross cutting Priorities
• Global Research and Innovation
• Gender
• Natural Resources/Climate Consideration
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4. Gender in FTF
Evidence-based responses (SOFA 2011, etc.)
Policies and programs make a difference
• Good agricultural policy must consider
gender differences
• Ensure equality for women under the law
• Invest in the human capital of women and
girls
• Address the multiple constraints of women
in agriculture holistically
• Provide public services and technologies to
free up women’s time
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5. • ADS Guidelines – USAID regulations
• Policy Task Team to develop new
policy on Gender Equality and
Women’s Empowerment (Fall 2011)
Gender Integration at USAID
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6. Successes and Best Practices
Measuring Feed the Future’s Gender Impact and
the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture
Index
• Women’s role in household decision-making
around agricultural production
• Women’s access to productive capital
• Women’s income
• Women’s leadership roles within the community
• Women’s labor time allocations
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7. Successes and Best Practices
Leadership:
African Women in Agricultural Research and
Development (AWARD)
• Two-year fellowships
• Fellows increase their contributions to the
fight against hunger and poverty in sub-
Saharan Africa
• Mentoring relationships
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8. Successes and Best Practices
Nutrition:
USAID and HKI/Nepal
• Improved techniques for homestead
production of micronutrient-rich
vegetables and poultry together with
optimal infant, young child and maternal
nutrition practices for over 13,000 HH
• Mothers produce nutritious foods for their
families and many have overcome
traditional beliefs that eggs are dirty and
cause diarrhea in children 8

9. Successes and Best Practices
Policy:
USAID and Catholic Relief Services/Mali
• Creation of savings and lending groups
• Women members borrow from their savings
fund to conduct small income-generating
activities such as peanut or millet production
• Both men and women members receive
training in functional literacy, microenterprise
development, management, marketing, health,
and nutrition
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10. Successes and Best Practices
Technology and Innovation:
USAID and CGIAR/Zambia
• Addresses constraints faced by women
farmers, offering extension services and
training to women’s groups, schools, and
community health systems
• In 2010, almost half of those who
attended USAID-supported rural fairs were
women
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11. Successes and Best Practices
Promoting Innovation and Scale-up
• “Innovations in Gender Equality to
Promote Household Food Security”
• Funding opportunity
• Gender equality and women’s
empowerment in the agriculture
sector
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12. Lessons Learned
• Guidance reinforced by training, awareness
• Anticipate/expect external issues
• Implementing partners need as much (or more)
support/guidance than mission
• Identify/support gender focal points
capacity-building
• Integrating gender from outset AND identifying
opportunities at different stages of project cycle
• Back up technical support with human and financial
resources
• Reinforce links with nutrition, climate change, land
tenure, and other important themes
• Availability of resources in different formats,
languages
Stay tuned….
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13. Thank you!