Improving Gender Participation in Agricultural Technology Adoption in Asia: From Rhetoric to Practical Action

Abstract

New and improved agricultural technologies can transform lives, particularly the lives of smallholder farm households in Asia who are highly dependent on agriculture. However, there are large gender disparities in the adoption of such technologies. Many barriers exist in achieving gender equity in access to and adoption of agricultural technologies, from sociocultural norms and deeply rooted beliefs about gender roles to lack of agency and lack of resources to implement policies. Notwithstanding these barriers, the case for promoting gender-inclusive adoption of technology is strong. In this paper, we outline the rationale for improving women's adoption of agricultural technology and discuss the pitfalls of failing to include women in the technology-adoption agenda. We then explore the policy implications and suggest various strategies that promote gender-equitable outcomes and that can be used to mainstream gender in agricultural technology adoption efforts to convert policy statements to practical and effective actions.