2010年-世界发展银行全球_Incorporating_Gender_Activities_into_Cotton_Lending_Project_Design___High_Impact_at_Reasonable_Cost_3页_862kb

APRIL 2010: Summary of the South Tajikistan Cotton Lending Project and IFC's Gender Activities

Core Content

The South Tajikistan Cotton Lending Project, initiated in early 2007 by IFC in collaboration with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), aimed to increase access to finance and improve productivity for cotton farms in the region. A significant portion of the project's design and implementation focused on addressing gender issues, given that over 70% of farm workers in Tajikistan are women, many of whom are sole family providers. The project's gender activities were integrated into broader objectives to ensure they supported the economic and social goals of the initiative.

Main Points and Key Information

Project Overview

• Objective: Improve access to finance and productivity for cotton farms in South Tajikistan.
• Partners: IFC and CIDA.
• Gender Focus: Addressing the working conditions of women in the cotton sector, which were found to be poor and often involved unpaid labor in exchange for agricultural products.

Gender Strategy

• Integrated Approach: Gender activities were incorporated into the project to enhance productivity and improve working conditions for women.
• Cost-Effectiveness: The gender plan was designed to be low-cost but high-impact, ensuring that it was both feasible and beneficial for all stakeholders.
• Economic Incentive: The project team focused on demonstrating how gender improvements could lead to increased yields and better farm performance, aligning with the economic interests of male farm managers.

Key Recommendations

• Access to boiled water and hot food in the fields.
• Improved agricultural tools and methodologies.
• Field lavatories and daycare for children.
• Fresh water for washing and first-aid kits.
• Seminars for women on hygiene, health, and working conditions.

Lessons Learned

1. Integrate Gender within Project Activities

   • Gender improvements were aligned with the project's core goals of increasing productivity and access to finance.
   • By focusing on economic benefits, the project team ensured that gender activities were seen as a means to improve farm performance, not just social initiatives.

2. Appeal to Economic Interests of Decision Makers

   • Male farm managers were initially resistant to gender-focused programs.
   • Seminars on agri-techniques were used to introduce gender-related improvements as part of productivity enhancement.

3. Take Local Customs into Account

   • Training sessions incorporated examples from the Koran to respect local values and norms.
   • Sensitive topics were presented in a non-confrontational manner to avoid cultural resistance.

4. Use Local Champions to Maximize Impact

   • Separate seminars for women were conducted to encourage knowledge sharing and peer influence.
   • Women who had benefited from the project shared their experiences with others, leading to wider adoption of gender-friendly practices.

5. Use "Show and Tell" to Convince Skeptics

   • Results from farms that implemented the recommendations were shared publicly.
   • This demonstrated the tangible benefits of gender improvements, leading to increased participation and replication of the project's model.

Project Outcomes

• Over 95% of surveyed farms implemented at least three of the gender recommendations.
• Popular improvements included gloves for faster cotton picking, clean drinking water, and field toilets.
• More than 5,800 women benefited from improved working and living conditions.
• Women reported increased consumer spending and some opened bank accounts, indicating improved financial autonomy.

Recognition

• The project was nominated for IFC's CEO Gender Award in 2009 and 2010.
• It received Second Runner-Up in 2009 and First Runner-Up in 2010.
• IFC CEO Lars Thunell praised the project for its pragmatic and effective gender strategy.

Disclaimer

• IFC SmartLessons is an initiative to share lessons learned in development projects.
• The content of this document reflects the views of the authors and does not necessarily represent the views of IFC or its partner organizations.
• IFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information provided.