Women's Roles in Technical Innovation: Food Cycle Technology Source Book

Women's indigenous technical knowledge and innovative solutions to problems are in evidence across the whole range of food cycle technologies. This book highlights the broad range of expertise that exists in rural areas. The book first gives a brief account of women's indigenous technical knowledge, and its extent. It goes on to explore women's role in the innovation process and how technical innovation has conventionally ignored this. This argument is illustrated through case studies and lessons; and the book ends with guidelines for development practitioners working with women.

PREFACE viiACKNOWLEDGEMENTS viiiINTRODUCTION ix

1 Local technical knowledge 1Keepers of knowledge 1 Low status of people's knowledge 1When 'people' are 'women' 3Why have women been ignored? 32 Technological change and innovation by women 5What is innovation? 5Why has external innovation failed? 5Why are outsiders needed? 7Recent attempts to support innovation by women 7Grassroots women also innovate 83 Case studies 9

Section I: Women's local knowledge 10Fermented foods in Sudan 10Moringa oleifera seeds as natural water coagulants, Sudan 14

Fermented milk in Kenya 17Milk production and processing in Nigeria 18Traditional food storage in Kenya 19Fruit preservation in Sri Lanka 20

Smoke in Sudanese women's culture 23Potato production in the Andes 25Section II: Women's local technological innovation 27Cassava rocessing in Luwero District, Uganda 27 Nkejje fish in Lake Victoria, Uganda 30 Salt extraction in Sierra Leone 33 Women potters in Kenya 37 Survival skills of Tonga women in Zimbabwe 41 Soybean daddawa in Nigeria 45 Assmi production in Sri Lanka 46 Section III: External support to women's local technological innovation 48 Utilization of soybeans in West Africa 48 Soy mishti in Bangladesh 49 Mechanical cassava graters in Nigeria 50 vi WOMEN'S ROLES IN TECHNICAL INNOVATION Indigenous vegetables in Kenya 52 Shea butter extraction in Ghana 55 Women's milk production in the Bolivian Andes 60 Livestock production in Peru 61 Women squash producers in Zaire 63 4 Lessons learned from the case studies 67 5 Guidelines for development practitioners 75 Appendix I: Contacts 78

Appendix II: References 84