The Evolution of Gender mainstreaming in ICARDA Lentil Program

Abstract

Gender perspective in breeding program has evolved over time. It started with biofortification of lentil varieties under the HarvestPlus program as a strategy to overcome the hidden hunger in 2007 but without much consultation with stakeholders. It was only in 2011 when the lentil breeding program started through CRP Grain Legumes taking gender perspective in mainstream breeding. Thanks to the involvement of multidisciplinary teams including gender specialists and social scientists that the gender perspective become an integral part while defining the breeding product profiles for the target population of environments.