UNU-GEST fellows present final assignments on Gender, Environment and Disparities in Agriculture
In the first session, Madalitso Makondi, Harriet Pamara, Diana Younis Mahmous Al-Azzeh and Stella Tereka spoke on their project proposals regarding gender, environment and livelihoods. Madalitso Makondi opened the session with his presentation which addressed the gendered aspects of food insecurity in the Kalintulo Tea Plantation Community, Malawi. Harriet Pamara’s presentation addressed both enhancing women’s economic livelihoods and biodiversity conservation in the protected areas of Kidepo Critical Landscape (KCL), as well as sustainable development in Karamoja Region, Uganda. Diana Younis Mahmoud Al-Azzeh spoke on incorporating women in recycling and sorting of plastic solid waste in refugee camps in the South of Palestine. Stella Tereka closed the first session with a discussion of her project proposal regarding the enhancement of women farmer’s adaptive capacities to cope with climate change in Kamuli District in Uganda.
Session two, titled ‘Addressing Gender Disparities in Agriculture’, also saw three fellows present their final projects. Nthamyo Thandie Mbeye opened the session, giving a presentation titled ‘Gendered Value Chain Analysis of Mangoes in Malawi’. Muzamil Wamundu spoke on empowering rural women small scale farmers with mobile phone skills to access market information. Finally, to end Monday’s sessions, Kholofelo Thobejane presented her final project titled ‘Transforming Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Female Entrepreneur Awards Competition into a Women Empowerment Programme’.
The students, who have been attending the UNU-GEST programme since January, presented their work after submitting their final examinations for the diploma. The presentations consisted of essays, project proposals and research proposals, many of which shall be implemented in the fellows’ areas of expertise once the UNU-GEST study programme has been completed.
The seven fellows constituted the first two sessions on Monday 23 May, to be followed by presentations regarding gender-based discrimination and confronting systemic biases on Tuesday 24.