Women, Agriculture and Resource Management (WARM) Meeting

February 28, 2008

Meeting Agenda

WARM Welcome 5:00 - 5:30

Visit over wine and cheese as we gather

Meeting 5:30 - 7:00

  1. Introductions and Updates of Participants
  2. Announcements
    Report of December 2007 meeting
    Upcoming events
  3. Discussion of WARM Draft Mission Statement
  4. Discussion of ideas for WARM collective action
  5. Discussion and choice of activities for next meeting

Draft Mission Statement

The Women, Agriculture and Resource Management (WARM) Network is an informal gathering of women and women-supportive men working in international agriculture and natural resource management. The periodic meetings of the group provide an opportunity for:

  • Networking among women working in agriculture and rural development for purposes of exchanging information, building relationships, identifying action opportunities and constraints, and exploring possibilities of collaboration and synergies;
  • Discussion, reflection and exchange of viewpoints and experiences on challenges confronting women in agriculture and natural resource management;
  • Exploring possibilities of collective action to advance women in agriculture and natural resource management.

Discussion Questions

  1. What kinds of activities would we like to undertake in each of these areas?
  2. Who can provide leadership and support?

Meeting Minutes

  • The meeting was attended by 20 people. Everyone introduced themselves and discussed updates since the last meeting.
  • Elise Smith, Winrock brought up the upcoming Breakthrough Summit to be held in DC on April 13-14. She suggested that as a network, WARM could be effective in bringing the issue of poverty and women with respect to agriculture in this summit. WARM could organize around some issues which will then be put forth as a session. This session will consolidate on the experiences of WARM members and how this issue should be addressed. WOCAN as a global network, that would add in the ‘international' image to the group.
  • Winrock can also contribute office space should WARM members need to have a meeting to discuss this issue before the final agenda for the session on Women in agriculture is sent to wfd-alliance. The group could also invite other professionals who have interest in the gender-poverty issues.
  • Sue Schram, ACDI/VOCA, brought up the issue that the US government drastically reduced Women and agriculture related contributions to development organizations. She suggested that the group might want to do something about it. Several other members also said that their work has been affected by these budget cuts.
  • Cheryl Morden, IFAD, mentioned that for the group to get into a momentum, it was important that WARM has an internet space to discuss and showcase their activities. She said she will pursue it with Heifer. It can be a member only access website.
  • Deborah Barry, CIFOR thought that the group will be a good forum to share implementation tools and guidelines amongst members. In this regard, she requested members to share any forestry-related implementation tool book/methodologies.
  • Virginia Seitz, announced that MCC does give a considerable aid to agriculture programs. She said she faces problems with sectoral division heads within the organization on convincing them about gender issues. She said that she had come to the WARM meeting to specifically request help from the different expert members and that she welcomed them to contact the MCC as consultants/ through contractors and sub-contractors.
  • Sarah Tisch announced that Chemonics have updated the "global change local action" book and it is available on the website. Cheryl said that the first few modules of the World Bank, IFAD, FAO sourcebook on agriculture are also available. There is another tool book for farmer organizations about how to incorporate gender in their own organizations.
  • Cheryl also proposed a Video Conference with WFP and Vicky Wilde to get more information and updates on the GATES Foundation AWARD program to women's leadership.
  • She also reminded the group that the World Food Prize nomination deadline is approaching and members should send in their nomination suggestions so that they can be compiled and sent to WFP board. It was decided that a notice/reminder be sent to all the members of WARM by WOCAN.
  • It was announced that the date for the next meeting would be either April 14 to take advantage of the Breakthrough Summit and thus invite some key women to WARM meeting.
  • Cheryl announced that Jeannette was involved in a CSD meeting with women agriculture leaders from across the world.
  • The mission statement was discussed and members suggested their revision to it.
  • Deborah Barry pointed out the need to re-phrase the draft mission statement, by replacing the term ‘rural-development' by ‘NRM'. This would help bring in other professionals in forestry, watershed management etc.

The meeting was then adjourned.

List of Attendees: Feb 28 meeting

  1. Deborah Rubin Cultural Practice
  2. Sandra Russo University of Florida
  3. Sue Schram ACDI/VOCA
  4. Julia Clones WOCAN
  5. Ravi Nayak DTS
  6. Debdatta Sengupta IFPRI/WOCAN
  7. Vanishri Murti IFPRI
  8. Cheryl Morden IFAD
  9. Carol Michaels O'Laughlin Winrock
  10. Elise Smith Winrock
  11. Mary Redfern World Watch
  12. Stubbs World Bank
  13. Nata Duvvury ICRW
  14. Maria Elisa Christie Virginia Tech
  15. Suman Gautam WOCAN
  16. Lauren Pandolfelli IFPRI
  17. Katherine Koon WOCAN
  18. Virginia Seitz MCC
  19. Deborah Barry CIFOR
  20. Sarah Tisch Chemonics