This gender audit was carried out for the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA). On its basis we were able to offer strategy and policy advice to improve the gender orientation of ASARECA’s work, and therefore its impact.

A powerful indicator of impact

When gender factors are integrated into development research, we get a more robust view of the quality of development under way. ASARECA is a well-respected institution in the region that has a vested interest in improving all dimensions of its development research. Their request to KIT for a gender audit was aimed at enhancing the impact of their agricultural research on farming communities in Ethiopia.

This qualitative research used a variety of data collection methods including:

• online surveys
• stakeholder interviews
• field visits to National Agriculture Research institutions in Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar and Burundi
• document review.

The gender policy and action plan we delivered showed how a greater gender focus could be followed and implemented within ASARECA. The policy recommendations centered on incorporating gender into current bio-physical research paradigms. Refined tools and processes were also suggested to better track gender-related factors throughout the project cycle.