New Agricultural Careers Training Module for Girls
Girls interested in agriculture may face a host of objections to their entrance into agriculture as a career. “It is masculine work.” “Women are not strong enough or smart enough.” “It is too dangerous.” The USAID-funded Innovation in Agricultural Training and Education (InnovATE) project has found that girls face these perceptions of women and agriculture in many parts of the world. Globally, there are challenges to changing misconceptions of agriculture held by all youth. However, girls face specific problems in terms of their perceived capabilities, traditional gender roles and future job prospects.
To help address these issues InnovATE has developed a new training module, Women’s Jobs in Agricultural Value Chains, geared toward girls at the secondary level. The module defines “agricultural value chain” and demonstrates the kinds of jobs that are available along the value chain. It encourages girls to broaden their views of agricultural careers. The module has knowledge checks, a homework assignment, a short quiz and a certificate of completion.
This new module is a complement to InnovATE’s series of five modules, Teaching Gender to Secondary and Tertiary Students. This course helps facilitators engage youth in gender-based discussions of agriculture careers and to critically analyze whether they are basing judgment of tasks, skills and responsibilities on sex or gender norms.
Together, Women’s Jobs in Agricultural Value Chains and Teaching Gender to Secondary and Tertiary Students make a great “Gender in Agricultural Careers” unit for 4-H leaders, Peace Corps volunteers and other agricultural educators.