A regional technical consultation on Gender Dimensions in Biodiversity Management and Food Security: Policy and Programme Strategies for Asia was held from 2 to 5 November 1999 at the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation. It was jointly organised by the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok and the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai (Madras).
The purpose of the consultation was to explore the linkages among household food security and biodiversity mediated through gender roles in a few selected member countries in Asia and the Pacific Region. The dialogue and discussions were to go beyond the physical and agronomic features of biodiversity that influence household food security. It was proposed to examine gender dimensions in community and household as intervening factors that impact on sustainable biodiversity and food security. Hence, the technical consultation rested on two important tenets. First, in the Asia-Pacific region, the smallholding farmer households in the rural communities are the trustees of agro-biodiversity. Second, in these farm households and farming communities, the know-how and strategies adopted to achieve sustainable gains in household food security and conservation of biodiversity are gender differentiated. It was expected that that the deliberations would help scientists dealing with agro-biodiversity and food security problems to widen their perspectives in their research and field programmes.
The focus of the technical consultation was:
to share case studies and country papers on gender dimensions and biodiversity management from the participating countries in order to identify a common framework and inter-disciplinary approaches
to examine the current central concerns and innovative approaches for integration of gender dimensions in bio-diversity management
to identify the policy gaps and programme approach limitations that are barriers to the integration of women's concerns in bio-diversity management as relevant to food security
to identify strategies and recommendations for national policymakers, programme specialists, and researchers and suggest future areas of action related to the technical themes of this consultation
to evolve recommendations for FAO in developing normative and operational programmes in the area of gender and bio-diversity management
Eight countries from the Asia-Pacific region were represented in the meeting: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. In addition to country experts, nominees from scientific research institutions and donor agencies also attended. Pakistan's representative sent a paper though he was not able to attend the meeting in person. Case studies and country papers were presented in the technical sessions. Discussions followed each presentation. Innovative approaches and future directions to improve research, programmes, and policies were deliberated. Finally, recommendations to set out an agenda for action were formulated. Taking advantage of presence of experts at the consultation, a media interaction was organised under the auspices of The Hindu Media Resource Centre.
