In sub-Saharan Africa, crop breeding has traditionally emphasized yield and disease resistance. However, it is currently increasingly focusing on postharvest qualities and the diverse food preferences influenced by gender and social dimensions. Participatory approaches, incorporating intersectional gender and place-based methods, begin to guide breeding program decisions to increase adoption and social impact.
Researchers from IITA, CIP, CIRAD, and national research institutes, NRCRI in Nigeria, NaCCRI and NARL in Uganda, and the University d’Abomey-Calavi in Benin, and Universite de Dschang in Cameroon, led by Lora Forsythe, Associate Professor in Gender, Inequalities and Food Systems at the University of Greenwich, have developed a new methodology to inclusively and fairly prioritize food quality traits for root, tuber, and banana (RTB) crops.
This methodology focuses on compiling, triangulating, and prioritizing food processing and quality characteristics obtained through an earlier published transdisciplinary method. This approach engages various food system actors and fosters transdisciplinary collaboration, resulting in the creation of Gendered Food Product Profiles (GFPPs). These profiles list prioritized processing and food quality characteristics, aiding breeders in making socially inclusive decisions and selecting genotypes that align with the needs of all stakeholders and thus inform breeding investment cases for social impact.
The team has published a manuscript presenting the methodology and the experiences with implementing this methodology across 14 GFPPs, all referenced under references 22 to 35 of the published article. In contrast, the practical steps of the methodology can be found under reference 36. Key findings highlight that a transdisciplinary structure, with significant contributions from social scientists, helps prevent reductionism, promotes co-learning, and ensures GFPPs reflect the diverse interests of food system actors, especially women. However, addressing power dynamics within multidisciplinary teams remains challenging, with effectiveness hinging on equitable relationships and institutional support that values diverse knowledge forms.
The evaluation of the implementations shows that one key driver of transdisciplinary research is when a mixture of team members from different disciplines does research in the field. For example, executing a social survey on trait preferences at the different processing stages of food products included breeding staff, food science staff, and social scientists.
“In cases where this mix of staff was less present, transdisciplinary collaboration decreased. This led to less understanding of data, particularly from the social sciences, among other disciplines, resulting in less integration. Once again, this highlights the importance of multidisciplinary teams actively engaging in each other’s scientific domains. Doing so fosters mutual learning, understanding, and respect, reducing the chance that power dynamics between social and natural sciences will hinder the integration process.” Béla Teeken stated
A notable aspect of the methodology is the adapted G+ tool, used for the final review of the food product profiles to assess the impact and prioritization of traits within the communities of crop users. This approach ensures gender-inclusive, equitable trait prioritization and breeding decisions, as highlighted by Olamide Nwanze at the CGIAR Gender Impact Platform Conference. The adapted G+ tool either changed the prioritization of characteristics or added additional characteristics. While generally well received, some teams expressed concerns about the time required for thorough evaluations, indicating the need for more gender expertise to accelerate this process.
While the five-step methodology has gained acceptance among breeders and related projects, integrating GFPPs into standard product profiles requires further effort. A transdisciplinary crop improvement structure at a higher level that ensures proper funding across disciplines is crucial. Ensuring the integration of social science insights is as prominent as breeding and food science data is essential. Additionally, environmental impact, biodiversity, and nutrition (see e.g. CGIAR’s 5 impact areas) are becoming increasingly important.
The GFPP represents an ongoing learning process in developing transdisciplinary crop improvement programs. It embodies a broader movement toward interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary methods, aiming to develop RTB varieties that better serve the diverse needs of food system participants and users.
Contributed by Ochuwa Favour Daramola
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