Browsing by Author "Christie, Maria Elisa"
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- Advancing the Global Land Grant Institution: Creating a Virtual Environment to Re-envision Extension and Advance GSS-related Research, Education, and CollaborationHall, Ralph P.; Polys, Nicholas F.; Sforza, Peter M.; Eubank, Stephen D.; Lewis, Bryan L.; Krometis, Leigh-Anne H.; Pollyea, Ryan M.; Schoenholtz, Stephen H.; Sridhar, Venkataramana; Crowder, Van; Lipsey, John; Christie, Maria Elisa; Glasson, George E.; Scherer, Hannah H.; Davis, A. Jack; Dunay, Robert J.; King, Nathan T.; Muelenaer, Andre A.; Muelenaer, Penelope; Rist, Cassidy; Wenzel, Sophie (Virginia Tech, 2017-05-15)The vision for this project has emerged from several years of research, teaching, and service in Africa and holds the potential to internationalize education at Virginia Tech and in our partner institutions in Malawi. The vision is simple, to develop a state-of-the-art, data rich, virtual decision-support and learning environment that enables local-, regional-, and national-level actors in developed and developing regions to make decisions that improve resilience and sustainability. Achieving these objectives will require a system that can combine biogeophysical and sociocultural data in a way that enables actors to understand and leverage these data to enhance decision-making at various levels. The project will begin by focusing on water, agricultural, and health systems in Malawi, and can be expanded over time to include any sector or system in any country. The core ideas are inherently scalable...
- Are potato markets gendered? An analysis of gender networks in the potato marketing chain in the Jatun Mayu watershed of Tiraque, BoliviaAmaya, Nadezda; Alwang, Jeffrey R.; Christie, Maria Elisa (2010)Incomes from potato production are critical for the well-being and survival of many Andean farmers. These incomes depend on market access and ability to receive fair prices. Potato markets have existed in the area since pre-Colombian times and, while the appearance of the markets themselves is changing only slowly, access to market information has entered the digital age. Cell phones are now becoming ubiquitous even in apparently isolated rural areas, and information networks that are lubricated by cellular technologies are supplanting traditional means of gathering market information. Andean markets are characterized by heavy involvement of women. Our study begins by examining the widely held assumption that Andean societies are male-dominated and women attend to reproductive responsibilities only. If, in contrast, women are actively involved in potato marketing, efforts to improve incomes of poor highland potato producers should recognize their roles along the entire potato market chain. As access to information becomes more widely spread and the cost of obtaining information from multiple sources becomes lower, the roles of men and women could be affected; we also explore these changes. Market information networks exist side by side with social networks and it is critical to understand how the two interact and reinforce one another.
- CCRA-7: Gendered perspectives for conservation agricultureChristie, Maria Elisa (Blacksburg, VA: SANREM CRSP, 2011-11-10)This webpage provides an overview of the Cross Cutting Research Activity 7 (Gendered Perspectives for Conservation Agriculture), a qualitative, case study-based research project within Phase IV of the SANREM CRSP. Information on the objectives, hypotheses, methodologies, and outputs are included in the overall synopsis or this research activity.
- Challenges and experiences of women in the forestry sector in NepalChristie, Maria Elisa; Giri, Kalpana (Academic Journals, 2011-05)This article asks why there are relatively few women at the Institute of Forestry (IOF) and in the field of forestry in Nepal. It explores the obstacles to entering and succeeding in this male-dominated field from women’s perspectives, and makes recommendations for increasing their participation. Based on “focus group discussions” and interviews with nearly 50 women, the authors considered issues of power and participation relevant to the gendered experience and profession of forestry in Nepal. Obstacles ranged from socio-cultural biases against women, to harassment during field trips, to being assigned purely administrative duties in the workplace. The article draws on theoretical approaches to gender in organizations, masculinities, and gendered knowledge. It calls for equitable, institutional transformation at the IOF that would in turn help graduates to better address social aspects of forestry.
- Desarrollo de enfoques para la adaptación de pequeños productores a la agricultura de conservaciónMoore, Keith M. (2010)Un sistema de conocimiento es muy efectiva para la transferencia de tecnología porque las técnicas adaptivas consisten de hacer, reflexionar, y cambiar.
- Effects of access to information on farmer's market channel choice: The Case of Potato in Tiraque Sub-watershed (Cochabamba - Bolivia)Amaya Urquieta, Nadezda Rosa (Virginia Tech, 2009-12-08)In Bolivia, potato production and marketing is important for farmers' livelihoods and anecdotal information shows that cell phones and women are extremely important in the potato marketing chain. Efforts to improve incomes of poor highland potato producers should recognize roles of different actors within the chain and access to market information. This study explores the effects of access to information and gender relations within the potato chain; on farmers' market channel choice in the Tiraque Watershed (Bolivia). The analysis of qualitative information was useful to deepen the understanding of the subject and complement quantitative analysis outcomes. The main source of data comes from a survey of 400 households from the watershed. Additionally, Rapid Market Appraisal and Case Studies were used to collect qualitative data. These data was used to estimate two econometric models (Logit and MNL) to evaluate the importance of farmers and marketing characteristics on market choices. This analysis demonstrates that the determinants that affect market channel choice include marketing (time to reach the markets and the nearest paved road), production (number of plots owned by farmers) and household related variables (access to loan, cell phone ownership, location and age of the head of the household). On the other hand, some results were different than expected, that is the case of motorized transport ownership, and literacy. Another unexpected result is that even though the qualitative analysis shows that gender plays an important role in marketing activities; the econometric analysis shows that gender has no effect on farmer's market choices.
- Farmers' stories from Kamuli: Groundnut knowledge, recipes and everyday lifeChristie, Maria Elisa; Kyamureku, P. T.; Kaaya, A. (Kampala, Uganda: DESIGNiT, Ltd, 2010)
- Feminist Geographic Information Sciences (FGIS)Parks, M.; Christie, Maria Elisa (Blacksburg, VA.: Virginia Tech, Office of International Research, Education, and Development (OIRED), 2014)This presentation was developed as a teaching module to contribute to the gap of feminist geographic information systems (FGIS) in international development. It summaries recent literature on GIS theory and development and its intersection with critical and feminist theory. There are arguments that GIS lacks the tools to visualize social processes and lacks the representation of marginalized populations. It is labelled as being masculinist in nature by many scholars in social science fields. As a result, there has been a call for feminist GIS which challenges these claims and uses GIS in innovative ways to capture human patterns.
- Gender and conservation agriculture: Constraints and opportunities in the PhilippinesHarman Parks, M.; Christie, Maria Elisa; Bagares, I. B. (2014)This research addresses the gender-based constraints and opportunities in the Philippines for conservation agriculture productions systems (CAPS) with smallholder farmers. Men and women have different access to assets including land, information, and livelihood opportunities which can impact CAPS adoption. Men and women also have a gendered division of labor which needs to be taken into consideration when introducing CAPS to stakeholders. This paper also discusses how CAPS activities could influence gender relations in this site if farmers were to adopt the practice. It provides recommendations for increasing the likelihood of adoption as well as gender equity.
- Gender and participatory mapping: Local knowledge and empowerment in development researchChristie, Maria Elisa; Luebbering, C.; Agriesti, Keri; Byrne, M.; Montgomery, K.; Van Houweling, Emily; Zseleczky, Laura; Harman, Mary (2011)Participatory mapping as a research technique is a means for women to express their spaces and resources. This poster explores mapping as both a process and product in field work with smallholder farmers in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. It draws on experiences including women and mapping gendered spaces. Examples include mapping Kitchenspace, mapping the “path of the peanut,” the “path of the pesticide,” and agricultural value chains. It considers the challenges and benefits of using participatory mapping, gendered and non-gendered findings, and the role of the mapping facilitator. The authors conclude that participatory mapping provides opportunities for semi-literate and illiterate women to contribute their knowledge and perspectives to development research projects as well as providing pedagogical opportunities for action research. Discussion with mapping participants and a gender analysis of the resulting maps can contribute to improved understanding of social, cultural, economic, and environmental issues.
- Gender and Pest Management in Ghana: Implications for the Introduction of an IPM Program for TomatoZseleczky, Laura (Virginia Tech, 2012-04-20)The purpose of this research is to identify gender-based constraints and opportunities to the introduction of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for tomato crops based on a case study of tomato farmers in the town of Tuobodom in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana. The study seeks to identify the knowledge, practices, perceptions, and access to resources of men and women tomato farmers in Tuobodom, specifically with respect to pesticides and pest management. A mixed methods approach combined quantitative and qualitative methodologies including focus group discussions, household interviews, participatory mapping, field visits, key informant interviews, participant observation, and a survey. Key findings in the areas of health and safety, markets and the tomato value chain, and information and training reveal general and gender-specific issues that an IPM program should address when working with farmers to develop an effective and sustainable IPM package for tomato in this area. The results of this study also demonstrate the importance of gender analysis in identifying context-specific gender issues. For example, while this study confirmed that men's roles in tomato production place them at higher risk of exposure to pesticides, results challenge the assumption that women's reproductive roles (e.g., food preparation, caring for the sick, and washing clothes) make them more aware of the risks of pesticides.
- Gender and Pest Management in the Ecuadorian AndesByrne, Megan LeAnna (Virginia Tech, 2011-03-23)This research was conducted to assess the intersection of gender and pesticide knowledge to identify gendered dynamics that may prove important to consider when implementing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. Key findings include knowledge being associated with task undertaken, not necessarily the gender of a person. Often, due to social conceptions of appropriate gender roles, similar knowledge may be associated with a certain gender because they are engaging in similar tasks, but it is not their sex or gender that inherently gives them such knowledge. Therefore, knowledge generally associated with women can be associated with men if they are engaging in similar work. Additionally, triangulation of data through using various research methodologies, and interdisciplinary research are imperative for developing comprehensive research or development programs. Finally, even people who are concerned with the negative human and environmental health effects of pesticides may not be using them in a cautious manner. Outside factors such as market sale, education and income level must be taken into account when assessing why pesticides are used and the best methods to introduce an alternative pest control method, such as IPM.
- Gender and Soil Knowledge: Linking Farmers' Perceptions of Soils with Fertility Analysis in the PhilippinesChristie, Maria Elisa; Mulvaney, Michael J.; Harman, Mary (2013)This presentation discusses the integration of gendered soil knowledge and scientific soil knowledge based on fieldwork in the Philippines. Qualitative methods were used to understand men's and women's soil knowledge as part of a soils conservation project. Quantitative methods such as soil sampling and analysis, and ANOVA were used in combination with the local information to determine statistical differences in the soil fertility between the men's and women's 'best' and 'worst' soils. We found that men and women did choose 'best' soils that had greater fertility than the 'worst' soils. However,there were no significant differences in fertility between the men's and women's chosen soil regarding gender. In other words, mens' soils were not more fertile than womens' and vice verse. This is significant since women were perceived to not have any knowledge of soil and fertility. The authors argue that while men's and women's knowledge of soil fertility was supported by the fertility analysis, men and women chose their soils using different experiences and knowledge of soil interactions. Men based much of their soil knowledge on direct interactions such as tilling while women based their soil knowledge from indirect interactions such as harvesting and marketing. This has important, gendered implications for how extension agents communicate soil conservation management. The authors recommend a closing of the gap between the soil sampling and the ethnographic methods when it comes to collaboration between soils scientists, extension agents, and farmers.
- Gender Cross-Cutting Research Activity Gendered Perspectives for Conservation Agriculture: Local soil knowledge and crop-livestock interactionAgriesti, Keri; Christie, Maria Elisa; Martin, Jess (2011)This is a poster presentation from the SANREM CRSP Annual Meeting 2011. It covers the Gender CCRA's research goal in mapping gendered landscapes and local soil knowledge.
- Gender Cross-cutting Research Activity of SANREM ILChristie, Maria Elisa (OIRED, Virginia Tech, 2014)This presentation explains the research behind the Gender Cross-cutting Research Activity (CCRA) of the SANREM IL. It reviews the goals and objectives, methods, findings, and recommendations used to explore the gender-based constraints and opportunities of conservation agriculture in Bolivia, Philippines, Cambodia, and Uganda. It closes with the outputs of the project including capacity building, publications, and presentations made during the course of the SANREM IL.
- Gender equity: Integration, coordination, resources, and support for gender researchChristie, Maria Elisa (Blacksburg, VA: SANREM CRSP, OIRED, Virginia Tech, 2010)The presentation outlines the importance of gendered knowledge and women's involvement in all SANREM CRSP research activities. By including women in SANREM research, scientists will have a more balanced outlook on the results because farm tasks are gendered and affect women and men differently. Women conduct 70-80% of the farming in the developing world and therefore, the education and empowerment of women is essential for economic growth. This presentation offers information about the difference between sex and gender, the social limitations of women and how to overcome them as researchers, the workload and participation of women, and the importance of gender sensitivity in SANREM CRSP surveys and other research.
- Gender Impacts of Molecular-Assisted Breeding: The Case of Insect and Disease Resistant Cassava in NigeriaMarimo, Pricilla (Virginia Tech, 2009-05-13)Cassava is the main staple crop in Nigeria. Using primary data from four south eastern states in Nigeria, the study assessed the gender impacts of improved cassava varieties. Comparative statistical analysis reveals that total female labor is higher than total male in cassava production, processing and marketing. Women spend more labor days than males for planting, weeding, harvesting, marketing and processing. The total female family labor is higher for adopters of new improved cassava varieties. There is however lower family labor input for both male and female adopters for clearing and plowing which are normally done by men. Significant determinants of female labor supply are number of children in the household, percent of females in the household providing labor on the farm, area under improved cassava varieties and total land area. There is a positive unexpected relationship between total female labor supply and number of children. For each of the decision making variables, there is a significant association between the gender of the spouse and the decision made except for the decision on family labor allocation. Probit results show a significant decrease in the probability that the wife makes the decision for family labor allocation, what inputs to buy and borrowing and traditional cassava income control with adoption. Results indicate that both men and women spend their income on services directly linked to the household's welfare. More than half of the women ranked food as number one.
- Gender in conservation agriculture: Results of fieldwork Claveria, Misamis Oriental, July-August 2012Harman, Mary; Christie, Maria Elisa (Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech, Office of International Research, Education, and Development (OIRED), 2013)This presentation discusses the findings of fieldwork conducted in July-August in Claveria, Misamis Oriental, Philippines for the Gender CCRA of SANREM CRSP. Specifically, it reviews the findings of household interviews conducted with smallholder farmers on their access to resources, agricultural practices, and local soil knowledge. It was presented to those same farmers in order to provide restitution and gain farmer feedback and determine the gender-based constraints and opportunities of CAPS in the Philippines.
- Gender in SANREM CRSP ProjectsChristie, Maria Elisa (2012)This presentation discusses the importance of addressing gender in development projects. It begins by explaining the gender inequity in agriculture research, projects, and development. There are examples of gender-based constraints in developement projects as well as how projects can overcome those such as inviting women to meetings/trainings and working with women's associations. It emphasizes the necessity to explore how development activites can impact men and women different. Finally, it stresses the importance of addressing, documenting, and reporting gendered implications in projects and using gendered indicators to reflect the attention given to gender in development projects.
- Gender, local soil knowledge, and access to resources in the Andean Region, BoliviaAgriesti, Keri; Christie, Maria Elisa; Botello, Rubén C. (2012)A paper presentation given at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers in 2012. The abstract submitted: "In smallholder farming communities, men and women have access to and control over different spaces in the landscape, forming gendered knowledges, beliefs, and perceptions based on their experiences. In the Andean region of Bolivia, these gendered knowledges and landscapes are marked by varied mountain geography, diverse cultural practices, and a history of land reform and agricultural changes. This research will present findings based primarily on student fieldwork documenting gendered landscapes of local soil knowledge and access to resources in a Quechua-speaking, smallholder farming community. Participatory mapping and participant observation were used to capture gendered access to land and livestock to people's everyday connection with the soil. The purpose was to identify gender-related factors that contribute to conservation agricultural production systems (CAPS) as a means to address soil health in gender-inclusive and gender-equitable ways. This work contributes to an understanding of nature-society relationships from a gender perspective. Research design was influenced by literature from ethnopedology, political ecology, and feminist political ecology. Methods included participatory mapping, photo interpretation, focus groups, GPS mapping of fields, activity charts, participant observation, and a host-family stay. Analysis of data illustrates men and women's different knowledges in correlation with their different use of and access to various landscape features" (Agriesti; Abstract submitted for presentation).