Gender and Agriculture/Rural Development in the Information Society

GenARDIS Round 2 update - 22 April 2005

Winners announced for second round of GenARDIS Small Grants Fund – more than 310 nominations received

The GenARDIS small grants fund was initiated in 2002 by CTA, IICD and IDRC, to support work on gender-related issues in ICTs for ACP agricultural and rural development. In 2004, Hivos joined the team of sponsoring organisations in time for the second round of the programme. The fund supporters are pleased to announce that the selection of Round 2 GenARDIS grant winners has been completed. As in Round 1, the response was overwhelming, with more than 310 submissions received in a period of 2 months. This provides a clear indication that there still is a real need for support in the field of Gender and Agriculture in the Information Society.

The programme was developed in recognition of the constraints and challenges encountered by rural women in ACP countries with respect to ICTs. The challenges include cultural factors that hinder women’s access to ICTs, limited time availability to participate in training and use of ICTs, minimal access to technology such as radios, mobile telephones or computers, and inadequate availability of information in local languages that is relevant to local contexts.

Submissions consisted of research programmes, training courses, publications, broadcasts, theatre productions, promotion materials, etc. – whatever need could be addressed by the means available to the many creative applicants for the grant. All projects focused on innovative use of ICTs by or for rural women to improve the well-being of their families and communities.

The expert panel who judged the submissions consisted of Helen Hambly -Odame (University of Guelph), Ramata Molo Thioune (IDRC), Judith Veldhuizen (IICD), Marjan Besuijen (Hivos) and Gesa Wesseler (CTA). Administrative support was provided by Dorothy Okello and Milton Aineruhanga (WOUGNET)

We congratulate the winners and honourable mentions, and extend special thanks and appreciation to all those people and organisations who put time and effort into preparing applications for the GenARDIS fund.

WINNERS of € 5000 one-time grants:

1. Mabela Khabele, Lesotho. Widening the Wellhead - creating and using a dedicated cellular phone network to add information, value and dignity to the work of women in Lesotho 's agricultural sector
2. Gabriela Demergasso and Bettina Koelle, South Africa. Developing rural expertise in spatial dynamics - participatory GIS in the rooibos tea lands of the Suid Bokkeveld (Northern Cape Province, South Africa)
3. David Dolly, Trinidad & Tobago. Proposal to test the use of mobile cell phones among a select group of female and male farmers in Trinidad and Tobago
4. Eric Ilboudou, Burkina Faso. Projet de renforcement des compétences de 30 femmes paysannes en NTIC
5. James Onyango, Kenya. Engendering equality: a health and agricultural community-based information & communication system project
6. Anil Naidoo, South Africa. Mobile learning for change
7. Brigitte Kasongo Mawazo, Democratic Republic of Congo. Campagne d'accompagnement et de sensibilisation des femmes rurales d'Uvira sur la promotion des TIC à des fins de plaidoyer pour le genre
8. Ofa Guttenbeil, Tonga. Production of a training video aimed at covering 8 main segments to be used as a training methodology at Gender and CEDAW Advocacy.
9. Collins K. Osei, Ghana. Promoting the Cultivation of Healthy Vegetables by Farmers: A Gender Approach to Using ICTs
10. Guy Raoul Gbaguidi, Benin. Projet de sensibilisation, de formation et de mise en place d'un système d'information agricole basé sur les TIC au profit de dix groupements féminins de la commune de Dassa-Zoumé au Bénin

  ***** Congratulations to all these winners! You will be contacted shortly for follow-up and next steps towards implementation*****

Honourable Mentions go to:

• Williams Ezinwa Nwagwu, Nigeria. Information and Communication Technology skill acquisition among female schoolteachers in Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria
• Helen Lwemamu, Uganda. Rural Agricultural Community Connectivity Project
• Joseph Kandeh, Sierra Leone. ICT mediated livelihood training of women in vegetable production in the western rural areas of Sierra Leone
• Joyce Endeley, Cameroon. Gender and the cellular paradox: Innovation and Transforming Societies in Rural Africa
• Della Ablavi Koutcho Diagne, Senegal. Réseau des jeunes filles rurales pour l'emploi ménager à Dakar

  ***** Invitations will be extended to recipients of honourable mentions to attend the GenARDIS workshop in late 2005. *****

On behalf of CTA, Gesa Wesseler
On behalf of IDRC, Ramata Molo Thioune
On behalf of IICD, Judith Veldhuizen
On behalf of Hivos, Marjan Besuijen

genardis@cta.int