preface

THE INFORMATION USED AS THE BASIS FOR THIS PUBLICATION HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO US BY DEDICATED AND DILIGENT FAO FIELD PROJECT STAFF WHO ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF WOMEN AND MEN FARMERS. THESE HIGHLY TRAINED, ENTHUSIASTIC PROFESSIONALS WERE PARTICIPANTS IN THE FROM FARMER TO PLANNER AND BACK: HARVESTING BEST PRACTICES WORKSHOP HELD IN ROME FROM 8-12 DECEMBER 1997. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE WORKSHOP WAS TO HARVEST THE PARTICIPANTS' BROAD-BASED, HANDS-ON KNOWLEDGE AND USE IT AS THE BASIS FOR A PLANNING FRAMEWORK THAT WOULD FACILITATE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESSES IN WHICH RURAL WOMEN AND MEN ARE ENSURED A VOICE.

From Farmer to Planner and Back: Harvesting Best Practices reflects the long-standing and active commitment of the Women in Development Service of FAO's Women and Population Division to identify, develop and disseminate methodologies for gender-responsive rural development approaches that are equitable, participatory and sustainable.

With this publication, we introduce you to the workshop participants, through a photo-essay introduction. We give you an overview of their activities and contributions through The Key Issues paper that draws upon information from case studies written about their projects, and we introduce The Responsive Planner, the planning framework that is based on the best practices and lessons learned in the field projects.

The workshop, funded by the Government of Norway, was part of the Service's overall effort to implement FAO's World Food Summit Plan of Action and its Plan of Action for Women in Development, 1996-2001 which promote food security and improved rural livelihoods through agricultural and rural development.

We are pleased to share what we have learned from those who are listening to women and men farmers and working to strengthen their voices at every level of agricultural development planning. It is our hope that their knowledge of what works and what does not work at field level will provide us, and other partners in rural development, with a more realistic understanding of rural people's capacities and constraints, so that we in turn, may offer them better support through agricultural development programmes and services that meet their specific needs and priorities.

Sissel Ekaas
DIRECTOR · WOMEN & POPULATION DIVISION
Sustainable Development Department