The agriculture sector contributes significantly to national greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries. Rice is a major contributor to methane emissions in Asia and many countries have recognised the potential to reduce their emissions by including rice sector targets in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in the Paris Agreement. The NDC commitments are voluntary emission reduction efforts submitted by each country to curb global warming. This guide serves to bridge the gap in knowledge on developing and implementing action plans to achieve the ambitious targets to reduce emissions in rice. With a focus on Vietnam, this guide describes methods and tools for research organisations to support national governments to plan, finance, and implement mitigation actions in the rice sector.

Participatory research is widely practised in agricultural research for development (AR4D). Yet, it is often applied technocratically by facilitators who are ill-prepared to engage with the unequal power relations that embed AR4D. We contend that participatory research has the potential to foster inclusive spaces for local identification of development challenges and solutions but that this requires a skilled and self-reflective facilitation of participatory processes. Several strategies can enhance the meaningful participation of women and marginalised groups in participatory research. Understanding these strategies and how to implement these thoughtfully should be integral to a facilitator’s preparation and training.

Gender gaps in crop productivity can negatively affect rural socio-economic development of agrarian economies with serious implications for food and nutrition security. We assess productivity in male- and female-managed sorghum plots in Lira, Kumi, and Serere districts in Uganda. We find male-managed plots have higher productivity of 850.6 kgs/ha compared to female-managed plots (832.6 kgs/ha). An observed mean gender gap of 18% due to structural advantages of male plots (57%), structural disadvantages of female plots (33%), and endowment (10%) exists. Therefore, interventions aimed at promoting equitable access to institutional support services are paramount in reducing structural disadvantages against female farmers.

Small-scale fisheries in Ghana are declining in response to the global fisheries crisis. The policies to curb this situation are dependent on the wellbeing of fishers in terms of material condition, quality of life, and transformative strategies for sustainable livelihoods. This paper employs survey data to investigate the wellbeing of fishers, using descriptives, principal-component analysis, and structural equation modelling. The results revealed that the summative effect of material condition, quality of life, and sustainability on fishers’ wellbeing is low. Despite the low ranking of income (lower among men fishers than women fish processors), basic necessities, and government support, fishers are still motivated to work but claim that their children may one day be locked out of the industry. This paper addresses the gap in the literature by establishing the need to enhance educational facilities for the children of fishers, while complementing with investments that create job opportunities in the fishing communities. This may eventually reduce dependence on the sea for sustainable fisheries.

Differences in access to productive resources, education, and credit can affect the productive capacity of cattle producers, especially women. This document analyses gender inequalities in the Colombian cattle sector using census information on the cattle activity, disaggregated at the territorial level. The econometric analysis evidences a negative relationship between the participation of women producers and cattle production at the municipal level. Our findings underscore the importance of improving access to quality education, credit, and technical assistance for rural women, which can benefit agricultural production and national economic growth at large.

Millions of short-term, low-skilled women migrant workers from South-Asia to West-Asia experience exploitative and unsafe conditions. We review evidence from literature and interview 18 key informants to assess the exploitation migrant women face, and highlight the impacts of past interventions to determine their potential, and realised effectiveness, in reducing forced labour and trafficking. We find that women face varied precarious situations along the migration pathway, including interactions with recruiters in the home country, incurring debt, pre-departure formalities and training, withheld wages and mobility restrictions. We discuss varying degrees of success of mechanisms that aim to reduce vulnerability to forced labour.

Gender gaps in crop productivity can negatively affect rural socio-economic development of agrarian economies with serious implications for food and nutrition security. We assess productivity in male- and female-managed sorghum plots in Lira, Kumi, and Serere districts in Uganda. We find male-managed plots have higher productivity of 850.6 kgs/ha compared to female-managed plots (832.6 kgs/ha). An observed mean gender gap of 18% due to structural advantages of male plots (57%), structural disadvantages of female plots (33%), and endowment (10%) exists. Therefore, interventions aimed at promoting equitable access to institutional support services are paramount in reducing structural disadvantages against female farmers.

Millions of short-term, low-skilled women migrant workers from South-Asia to West-Asia experience exploitative and unsafe conditions. We review evidence from literature and interview 18 key informants to assess the exploitation migrant women face, and highlight the impacts of past interventions to determine their potential, and realised effectiveness, in reducing forced labour and trafficking. We find that women face varied precarious situations along the migration pathway, including interactions with recruiters in the home country, incurring debt, pre-departure formalities and training, withheld wages and mobility restrictions. We discuss varying degrees of success of mechanisms that aim to reduce vulnerability to forced labour.