Reflection on the use of mobile phones for monitoring gender indicators related to climate-smart agriculture practices

Abstract

Monitoring and Learning (M&L) systems are increasingly being requested to measure gender indicators in the context of agricultural interventions. This study reflects on the feasibility of using cellphones to collect data for monitoring gender indicators related to the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices through call-based surveys. The study was conducted in the context of the development of an M&L system for the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security. In this case, the approach is used to understand if and how a climate smart agriculture practice impacts the gender division of labor, control over resources and benefits, and participation in decision-making. We reflect on the constraints and aspects that enable the development of monitoring gender indicators related with CSA practices. In our reflection, we identify five challenges related to survey design and sampling: choosing which indicators can be monitored, survey design and question wording, response rates of men and women, identifying respondents, and how cellphones impact sample selection. Each of these issues should be considered when using cellphones to monitor gender indicators in a development project.