The WIAD Program


The Women in Agricultural Development Program (WIAD), was founded at the
University of Florida in 1984, after five years of informal Women in Development (WID)
activity. At that time, rather than taking on the entire range of WID related issues, the WIAD
group decided to focus specifically on the problems facing women engaged in agricultural
production. This focus distinguished the UF program from those at other institutions which
tackle a broad range of WID related issues. The main reasons for this WIAD focus were :
the recognition of the strength of UF in the area of agriculture
a desire to enhance University of Florida research capabilities with the tools of
gender sensitivity and analysis.

WIAD is currently chaired by Drs. Peter Hildebrand and Sandra Russo and has over 28
active faculty members. Administration of the program is supported by two graduate students.
The program aims to support and develop faculty and student expertise related to the roles of
women and intra-household dynamics in all phases of agriculture and natural resource
management in both international and domestic contexts.


WIAD Activities

1. Speaker Series From its inception in 1983-1984, a bi-weekly seminar has been
organized featuring speakers on issues related to women in agriculture and natural
resource management both domestically and internationally. Speakers have included UF
professors and graduate students, as well as guests from other universities or research
centers.

2. Conferences -
In February 1986, WIAD sponsored an international conference featuring a
comparative perspective on the importance of gender issues in Africa, Asia, Latin
America and the USA (Gender Issues in Farming Systems Research and
Extension). It was attended by 300 registrants from 20 countries including the
USA, Asia, Africa and Latin America and elsewhere. Arising from this
Conference was the publication of a book "Gender Issues in Farming Systems
Research and extension" edited by S. Poats, M. Schmink and A. Spring in
1988.

In March 1988, WIAD co-sponsored a two-day Seminar on "Issues in Agro-
Forestry:an International Perspective" with the Department of Forestry and the
Centers for African and Latin American Studies at the University of Florida.

March 1992, WIAD and Women's Studies co-sponsored a conference on
"Women and Politics in the 1990's"








3. Documentation WIAD has developed a common listing of women in agriculture
readings within faculty collections, through computer searches and through searches of
other relevant material. These have been published as Bibliography of Women in
Development with special reference to the Third World (edited by M. Swisher), a
compilation of nearly three thousand entries dealing with women's roles in agricultural
development. This Bibliography is available for purchase from IFAS Publications either
in software or in published form. To date, 125 copies of this bibliography have been
sold.

4. Training Activities for UF Faculty Existing courses with a WID Component have
benefited from the activities of the WIAD Training Group. Many courses have been
redesigned to incorporate gender issues. In Spring 1994, at least three graduate courses
will benefit from the participation of the WIAD training committee.

5. WID Certificate This is a Graduate Certificate from the University of Florida and is
awarded to Graduate students at the MA or PhD level who complete a minimum number
of required courses.


6. Technical Assistance WIAD members are in high demand to provide technical
assistance at the international level for a number of agencies including the University of
Florida, USAID, FAO, World Bank etc.

7. WIAD Newsletter WIAD publishes a monthly newsletter to inform UF faculty and
students of WIAD related matters of interest.










Funding for WIAD


1984-1985 -



1985-1986 -




1986



1986-1987 -


1987-1988 -


1988-1989 -



1989-1990 -


1991-1992 -

1992-1993 -


1993-1994 -


$13,410
$ 1,000
$3,170

$17,183
$10,617
$ 2,650


$ 5,000
$22,825
$ 8,000

$15,926
$13,200

$18,437
n.a.

$8,457
n.a.
n.a.

$ 3,072
$12,000*


IFAS International Programs
Center for Latin American Studies
Center for African Studies

IFAS International Programs
Center for Latin American Studies
Center for African Studies


Center for Tropical Agriculture
Ford Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation

IFAS International Programs
Graduate School (Assistantships)


International Programs (Program Support Grants)
0.5 FTE WIAD Director (M. Swisher)

International Programs
0.5 FTE WIAD Director (M. Swisher)
Graduate School

International Programs
Graduate School


$12,000* Graduate School


$ 4,400
$12,000

$ 6,300
$22,000*


IFAS
Graduate School

IFAS
Graduate School








Summary of Funding WIAD Program


Funding Source Amount Time Yrs. of Current % of
Period Support support Total
(yes/no)
IFAS International 76,488 1984 6 No
Programs 1990
IFAS Academic 10,700 1992 3 Yes
Programs 1994
Center for Latin 11,617 1984 2 No
American Studies 1986
Center for African 5820 1984 2 No
Studies 1986
Graduate School 1988 5 Yes
1994
Other 35,825 1986 1 No