In several Caribbean countries, the study of Gender Issues in the field of agricultural occupations became prominent within the last two decades. Global initiatives chronicled by the activities of the United Nation’s decades for women provided appropriate catalyst to sensitise planners and thinkers to gender mainstreaming in Agriculture. Many local organisations and institutions and a vibrant Centre for Gender and Development studies at the University of the West Indies helped to make Gender an issue in the continued social and economic development of the Caribbean.

The main issues surround the invisibility of women within the agricultural sector. There is a consequent lack of support meted out to women as females try to remain active sector contributors in strategic and practical ways.

Not many studies actively document what specifically pertains among the diverse facets of agricultural development. Investigations during the past two decade provided general empirical evidences relating to access to and the control of resources for sustained agricultural productivity. There was also the general suggestion to improve visibility through an understanding of the gender relations which currently exist and also through an audit of gender roles.

The GenARDIS project provided the opportunity to become more specific. In so doing, the project attempted to understand current livelihood activities among a select group of male and female agricultural occupations. The project reconciled how these activities may be improved with the use of mobile cell phones. The project hoped to reveal the strategic and practical positions which this group of select men and women assume in carrying out their agricultural livelihoods.

Winning a grant afforded me the opportunity to conduct a qualitative research analysis regarding Gender in Trinidad and Tobago. Sponsors are not easily sensitive to research regarding Gender issues. Sponsors are more easily attracted to quantitative methodologies. Hence funds to conduct qualitative Gender research are usually difficult to obtain. I was able to practice high quality Extension work in the field of Gender, not always possible in poorly funded state run systems. My team became highly motivated.

The project began with much preliminary planning, training and negotiations. The Principal Researcher (PR) selected and trained a first Research Assistant (RA). The RA met desired criteria having recently completed most requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Agribusiness at the University of the West Indies. During that course of study the student had read courses in Agricultural Extension and Gender Issues in Agriculture. The person completed an independent research study on the topic: The role of ICT’s in the Agricultural Extension services in the Bahamas. The principal researcher trained the RA in participatory techniques, project management and general issues regarding ICT’s, Livelihood Asset analysis and Survey Research Techniques. The RA also attended three field trips to farming communities in order to become more familiar with the type of farming clients, the farming systems in which farmers operate and farming behaviour from a Gender perspective. The RA was male and this served an opportunity to dispel the often myth among students that Gender studies are only conducted by women.

The PR successfully negotiated support from the local telephone company; The Telecommunications services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT). TSTT provided mobile cell phones, air time and a log of telephone use among intended participants

Because of budget savings the PR engaged several training workshops, other activities and more consistent communication among the farmers. This built quality rapport with the farmers and resulted in better commitment during the course of the project. Savings from the cell phone donation also helped to offset the loss of funds due to exchange transfers from the Euro to the TT dollar.

It also became possible to expand the participant base to farmers in Tobago and to a special group of young male and female farmers in the age category 18-25 years. The project has engaged 17 farmers, nine males and 8 females. 13 are small vegetable producers from key vegetable producing areas in the country. There is one dairy farmer and three agribusiness entrepreneurs. The participants represent the farming areas of Aranguez, Caura Valley, Paramin and the Network of Rural Women Producers in both Trinidad and Tobago.

With savings from the mobile cell phone budget, it became possible to employ three more research assistants who assist in the collection of data. These have similar backgrounds as the person earlier employed. In addition, these new RA’s were Extension officers who work fulltime with the local Ministry of Agriculture and who are familiar with the local environments in which the farmers use cell phones. The more permanent RA served a network link with all of the project participants.

The participants displayed remarkable keenness and provided the relevant and required data with the use of data collecting instruments specifically designed to log cell phone use and to log livelihood activities during the six week period. Research Assistants met weekly with their clients in order to verify and clarify aspects of the data and to encourage continued commitment among the producers. The principal researcher met regularly with the RA’s.

The local cell phone provider became closer to the needs of rural producers especially observing the enriched gender format in which these needs were being placed.

During the project, the research team held three workshops with all the participants. At the final workshop two female producers were expressly shocked at how much work they do as agricultural people and their added burdens in the area of reproductive care. When I heard this testimony, I felt that the project will produce an important analysis form a gender perspective.

The main beneficiaries of the project were the 17 members who had their agricultural occupations scrutinized. They became aware of the use of improved communication networks. They began to understand their gender roles. They learnt about current technology issues which affect the country’s agriculture. They began to think about strategies to sustain their involvement in Agriculture, especially realising the importance of continued networks among themselves. All participants felt proud to be certified at the end of the research period.

The age range of participants was 20 -55 years. Most had some form of primary education, some had secondary and none had tertiary education. Most were married and those who were single still had children in their care. All participants belonged to lower socioeconomic income brackets. This is a major constraint to farming in an oil and tourist economy such as Trinidad and Tobago. Linkages between the three sectors Agriculture, Oil and Tourism are unacceptable. Symptoms of poor linkages are expressed in lower incomes, unavailable and cheap labour high cost of inputs and a lack of support for producers. To overcome the ensuing predicament, agricultural occupations are practiced alongside other employment activities. There are longstanding unemployment relief programmes which producers may join in order to supplement income from farming. Men are more easily able to benefit from opportunities which arise outside of Agriculture.

Women have a more difficult challenge to overcome these conditions. It is quite likely that those women who stay in agricultural occupations will have many more obstacles to success. Still there will be women who would not be able to easily leave the sector as they would not be as mobile as men. Even in the circumstances, several of the women in his cell phone project have been able to sustain above average incomes for their occupations over extended periods of time.

I expected to learn the following:

• How small producers were thinking about modern technology?

• Were there differences between men and women regarding how they think? about a new technology?

• Are there age and gender factors which guide approaches to livelihood? choices in agricultural occupations?

• What improves productive Gender Relations between males and females? as they conduct their agricultural occupations?

I wanted to achieve the confidence and ability to facilitate the transfer of a modern technology to small producers.

I wanted to build productive gender relations between men and women in the project.

The team learnt how difficult it is to be engaged in an agricultural occupation in today’s world. Yet those who practice agricultural livelihoods are prepared to defend their choice regardless of the inherent difficulties. Even so it is likely that their next generation may not choose an agricultural livelihood.

The team learnt that small producers will cooperate with their leaders in order to make a better life for themselves and their country.

The team realised that many producers cannot afford modern ICT‘s without the help of mediating and facilitating agencies.

I was surprised at the respect small producers have for the university. I thought that because the University is unable to routinely help farmers, these producers may have resented a relationship with the institution. This was not the case and all project participants yearned to visit the workshops held at the University and to generally interact with staff at the institution. Participants were very proud to receive certificates of participation for attending workshops at the University.

Some participants maintained contact with each other to the extent that they are becoming closer to another project of one group of farmers. I did not expect that this trend to have occurred.

I will like to conduct a more extensive assessment regarding the use of Cell ( Mobile) phones among male and female producers. This intended assessment would try to use more quantitative indicators. Also since the study, many more accessory options are being provided by cell phone providers in Trinidad and Tobago. It would be appropriate to understand how different producers are using these ICT facilitations.

A next step would be to discuss the interest with potential funders. There is more than one telecommunication provider operating in a highly competitive atmosphere. This would be an advantage for getting contributions for this new research initiative.

This project has the following policy implication and learning:

Telecommunication operators must consider the needs of small food producers especially in relation to there access to quality service from distant, remote and rural locations.

Women in Agriculture need special attention and considerations if they are to successfully use ICT's in support of their agricultural occupations.

Women in Agriculture need special training in order to benefit from the use of ICT's which can be of use in their production and processing operations

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It will be important to categorise the interest in gender issues according two other variables which co exist with Gender namely Age AND Ethnicity. #