Gender and Agricultural Development Training

About This Course

Agriculture remains the backbone of most African and developing-economy households, yet persistent gender inequalities continue to limit the sector's full productive potential. Women comprise up to 60–80% of food producers in sub-Saharan Africa, yet they consistently receive a smaller share of land titles, agricultural inputs, credit, extension services, and decision-making authority. Closing these gaps is not only a matter of equity — it is an economic imperative. Studies by the Food and Agriculture Organization estimate that giving women farmers equal access to productive resources could increase agricultural output in developing countries by up to 4%, lifting millions out of hunger.

The Gender and Agricultural Development Training course offered by TrainingComplex is designed for practitioners who want to move beyond awareness and take concrete, evidence-based action. Drawing on internationally recognised gender analysis tools — including the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI), the Harvard Analytical Framework, and the Gender Action Learning System (GALS) — this programme builds participants' capacity to diagnose gender disparities within agri-food value chains, design gender-transformative programmes, and monitor progress against meaningful indicators.

Over five focused days, participants will explore the intersection of gender with land tenure, rural finance, climate adaptation, digital agriculture, and market access. They will engage with real case studies from East Africa, West Africa, and South Asia, participate in gender audit exercises, and develop practical action plans they can implement immediately upon returning to their organisations. Whether working in NGOs, government ministries, donor agencies, or private agribusiness, participants will gain the analytical rigour and programmatic skills required to champion gender equity as a central pillar of sustainable agricultural development.

Who Should Attend

• Agricultural extension officers and field agronomists
• Gender and social inclusion officers in development organisations
• Project and programme managers in food security and livelihoods sectors
• Policy analysts and advisors in ministries of agriculture
• NGO and INGO programme staff working on rural development
• Donor agency staff and grant managers overseeing agricultural portfolios
• Researchers and academics in agricultural economics or gender studies
• Value chain development and market systems practitioners
• Community development facilitators and rural outreach coordinators
• Private sector professionals engaged in agribusiness and inclusive supply chains

Learning Objectives

• Apply gender analysis frameworks — including the Harvard Analytical Framework and WEAI — to diagnose inequalities within agricultural systems
• Distinguish between gender-blind, gender-sensitive, gender-responsive, and gender-transformative approaches to programme design
• Analyse how gendered access to land, water, credit, and inputs affects household food security and agricultural productivity
• Design gender-responsive agricultural interventions, including monitoring frameworks with sex-disaggregated indicators
• Assess gender dynamics across agri-food value chains from production through to market and consumption
• Evaluate the role of rural finance, savings groups, and digital financial services in advancing women's economic empowerment
• Integrate climate-smart agriculture approaches with gender considerations to enhance resilience among women smallholders
• Apply participatory tools — including focus group methodologies, seasonal calendars, and resource mapping — to engage women and men equitably in programme design
• Critique existing agricultural policies and programmes for gender gaps and recommend evidence-based improvements
• Develop a contextualised gender action plan relevant to participants' own organisations and programme areas

Course Modules

Requirements & Prerequisites

Participants should have at least two years of professional experience in agriculture, rural development, or a related development sector. A basic familiarity with project cycle management or programme implementation is helpful. No prior formal training in gender studies is required, though an openness to critically examining social norms and power dynamics is essential for full engagement with the course content.

Training Methodology

• Gender analysis case studies drawn from real agricultural programmes in East Africa, West Africa, and South Asia, used to apply frameworks to practical scenarios
• Participatory value chain mapping exercises where participants identify gender entry points across production, processing, and marketing stages
• Small-group gender audit simulations in which teams review a fictitious agricultural project proposal and identify gaps using a structured checklist
• Seasonal calendar and daily time-use analysis activities that surface hidden labour burdens on women in rural farming households
• Role-play exercises simulating mixed-gender community consultations, building facilitation skills for inclusive participation
• Reflective journalling prompts at the close of each day to help participants connect course concepts to their own programme contexts
• Peer-to-peer learning circles where participants from different sectors share country-specific gender challenges and co-develop solutions
• Coach-facilitated gender action plan development, culminating in a presentation and peer feedback session on the final day
• Video case studies featuring women farmers, extension workers, and cooperative leaders speaking in their own voices about barriers and breakthroughs
• Structured debate and plenary discussion on contested issues such as land rights legislation, customary practices, and gender quota policies

Organisational Benefits

• Strengthened organisational capacity to design and implement gender-responsive agricultural programmes that meet donor and government requirements
• Improved programme outcomes by ensuring interventions reach and benefit both women and men equitably
• Enhanced ability to attract and retain funding from gender-sensitive donors including USAID, GIZ, IFAD, and the Gates Foundation
• More robust monitoring and evaluation systems through the use of sex-disaggregated data and gender-sensitive indicators
• Reduced project risk by proactively identifying and addressing social dynamics that could undermine programme effectiveness
• Greater community trust and participation as a result of inclusive, culturally informed engagement strategies
• Contribution to national and regional agricultural policy goals aligned with the Malabo Declaration, SDG 2, and SDG 5
• Improved staff confidence and competence in facilitating gender mainstreaming across the project cycle
• Stronger partnerships with women's groups, farmer cooperatives, and civil society organisations
• Positioned as a credible, equity-focused actor within the agricultural development sector

Where Is Gender and Agricultural Development Training Offered?

This course runs in-person across: Mombasa, Lagos, Kampala, Riyadh, Dar es Salaam, Naivasha, Accra, Cape Town, Kigali, Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Pretoria, Abuja, Kisumu, Arusha, Zanzibar, Dubai, Nakuru, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.

Upcoming Schedules

+228 more dates — view live schedule →

Frequently Asked Questions