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Farmer Field Schools: Unexpected Outcomes of Gendered Empowerment in Wartime Nepal

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  • Annemarie Westendorp
  • Leontine Visser

Abstract

This article is the outcome of an empirical study of technical training of women and men through Farmer Field Schools in rural Nepal during the last decade. When the Farmer Field Schools started in Nepal as part of the FAO Integrated Pest Management project in 1997, this was also the year that the Maoists declared the People’s Revolution. The article describes the increased participation of women in FFS and its positive effect on food security of their families. After initial failure of FFS to include gender in its policy and activities, the article discusses the gradual acceptance of gender issues in the training. Empowerment is seen as a developmental process rather than as a product somebody or a group can gain access to or own. Different forms and objectives of empowerment of both women and men are discussed, and the unintended outcomes of FFS intervention in the context of rapid social-economic and political change during the Maoist revolution in Nepal.

Suggested Citation

  • Annemarie Westendorp & Leontine Visser, 2015. "Farmer Field Schools: Unexpected Outcomes of Gendered Empowerment in Wartime Nepal," Journal of Asian Development, Macrothink Institute, vol. 1(1), pages 1-22, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:mth:jad888:v:1:y:2015:i:1:p:1-22
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Shahra Razavi, 2012. "World Development Report 2012: Gender Equality and Development— A Commentary," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 43(1), pages 423-437, January.
    3. Sonali Deraniyagala, 2005. "The Political Economy of Civil Conflict in Nepal," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(1), pages 47-62.
    4. Naila Kabeer, 1999. "Resources, Agency, Achievements: Reflections on the Measurement of Women's Empowerment," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 30(3), pages 435-464, July.
    5. Bina Agarwal, 1997. "''Bargaining'' and Gender Relations: Within and Beyond the Household," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 1-51.
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    1. Ichiro Sato & Hideyuki Kubo & Josiah Mwangi Ateka & Robert Mbeche & Ayaha Mochizuki, 2025. "Promoting livelihood diversification among rural farming households in Kenya: what role does farm forestry farmer field school play?," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 13(1), pages 1-22, December.

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