Friday, June 3, 2016

Gender issues in implementing a water saving technique in Colombia

    Photo: CIAT

The adoption of the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) technology, developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), is currently being undertaken in Colombia by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), in collaboration with the National Rice Federation in Colombia (FEDEARROZ). This research initiative is significant given the diminishing water resource and the drought episodes being experienced in some parts of the globe as a result of climate change. 
In implementing AWD, a socioeconomic study with gender perspective is being conducted in five regions of Colombia -Tolima, Norte de Santander, Córdoba, Cesar and Casanare- to identify potential barriers to technology adoption among rice producers. In some Latin American countries, studies show that women are not typically recognized as rice producers, hence, their participation in the production system and access to relevant resources are limited. Read more