Center for International Research, Education, and Development (CIRED)
Permanent URI for this community
CIRED links Virginia Tech to the world. It supports the university’s international mission by leading projects that raise the standard of living in developing countries, partnering with more than 80 universities and institutions around the world. In 2018, OIRED became CIRED (Center for International Research, Education, and Development), part of Virginia Tech’s Outreach and International Affairs and a new center focused on continuing Virginia Tech’s global legacy.
Browse
Browsing Center for International Research, Education, and Development (CIRED) by Subject "Agriculture"
Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Recognizing Women’s Needs: A Key in Agriculture Production and Food SecurityAbaye, Azenegashe Ozzie (Virginia Tech Libraries, 2018-11-08)The Women and Gender in International Development discussion series offers an opportunity for scholars and practitioners to share their research and knowledge surrounding gender and international development. Dr. Ozzie Abaye will talk about her research in the developing world. Women have been denied access to both financial and land resources throughout history. Yet, they contribute more than their share to agriculture and food security on a daily basis. Through USAID-ERA (United States Agency for International Development – Education and Research in Agriculture (USAID-ERA) a project that aimed (delivered) to revitalize the agricultural sector through education, research, and discovery, and outreach, implemented several agricultural interventions at the community, private, and public sector levels using the land-grant model. Some of the agricultural interventions focus on those that have the explicit goal of improving food security by supporting women at the village levels. Two of such projects are a small-scale silage project designed to conserve forages to feed small ruminants during the dry season and the introduction mungbean, to diversify the diets mainly composed of cereal crops. Mung bean is a greater source of protein and fiber when compared to its cultural counterpart, cowpeas, and other staple grains. The presentation will focus on the initial contribution of these two women targeted projects on perceived women’s health and productivity.
- Speaking for themselves: The importance of enabling Ugandan women to share their story through photography and community dialogueSpence, Jessica R. (Virginia Tech, 2023-03-16)“Agriculture is the backbone of the country,” is a commonly heard phrase in Uganda. With agriculture making up nearly a quarter of Uganda’s GDP, and nearly 70 percent of the country’s population working in this sector, this is true. However, the muscle operating said backbone is exercised daily by Ugandan women. Not only do significantly more women work in the agriculture sector than men in Uganda, but women’s contribution is also typically under-estimated and under-appreciated. Usually charged with child-rearing, home-keeping, cooking, and a host of other responsibilities, women often take charge of the farm and garden in smallholder farming families. In addition to these unbalanced and gendered responsibilities, women do not often retain financial control over the money earned from their labor and suffer from physical and emotional abuse from their male counterparts. There is increasing awareness of, and efforts to end, the vast disparities women face within this sector, namely the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal No. 5, Gender Equality. This lecture will focus on the independence and self-identity women agriculturalists have as farmers, and how that identity, coupled with their responsibilities to their families, make them a unique and strong powerhouse for agricultural development and social change. Through photovoice methodology, groups of women living in two different communities in Uganda allowed a researcher to conduct a study aimed at delving into their lives as women agriculture producers, and specifically the changes they face in agriculture due to their gender. A surprising phenomenon occurred within this study, wherein all participants decided to take self-portraits of themselves as part of their photovoice. The study resulted in themes that supported these harsh realities, including technical challenges, patriarchal society, physical fatigue, and varied agriculture practices, but also, through their self-portraits, gave evidence of self-identity and independence as “women farmers.” The personal identity and independence felt by these women provide evidence of the responsibility felt towards their family, children, and duties as a farmer.
- “Women do light work, men do heavy work”: Male out-migration, the feminization of agriculture, and integrated pest management in the Nepali mid-hillsSpangler, Kaitlyn (Virginia Tech. University Libraries, 2018-04-19)The Women and Gender in International Development Discussion Series is organized by the Center for International Research, Education, and Development (CIRED) and is an InclusiveVT initiative of Outreach and International Affairs (OIA). The WGD program has sponsored a monthly discussion series for over a decade. Students, faculty, staff and members of the community are encouraged to attend the discussions and bring their ideas and questions.