This document outlines a framework for progress, economic progress. Within the context of Ethiopia’s agricultural extension services, gender equity provides one of the most cost effective and scalable strategies to close the living income gap, protect the environment, and ensure farm resiliency from extreme weather.

By aligning with the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) Gender Strategy, the Ministry of Agriculture’s (MoA) Gender Equality and Social Analysis (GESA), as well as with ongoing efforts, like CARE’s WE-GO project, the policies and strategies proposed here address systemic barriers limiting participation and benefit of women farmers’ who are head-of-house or who farm with husbands.

Though primarily developed with the ECTA as a primary advocate for these policies, they apply to any extension services being provided. All recommendations are evidenced-based, and they acknowledge the wide range of contextual variables. Key recommendations include addressing time poverty (lowering the cost of labour), training accessibility, promoting women’s leadership and input (improved adoption rates), and leveraging participatory facilitation methods (pedagogy) all with one goal in mind: to significantly improve training adoption rates (30%+).

The document highlights the compelling business case for gender equity, emphasizing that achieving environmental, social, and economic sustainability goals is not served when over half the labor force, contributing 70% of the work, is systematically denied access to technical assistance, training, and the benefit of her labour.

To support broad implementation across all coffee-growing regions, a high-profile pilot program can serve as a catalyst for scaling. Starting with woreda level Subject Matter Specialists, this pilot would reach kebele level Development Agents directly. Such a pilot would demonstrate proof of concept, showcase measurable successes, and generate stakeholder confidence. Leveraging prior investments, like from the WE-GO project, existing structures at federal and woreda levels can further enhance efficiency, minimize resource duplication, and align within regional training implementation frameworks.