What works in gender-transformative innovation bundling? Evidence from learning labs in Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, researchers and partners tested a new way to scale agricultural innovation. By bundling technology, skills, and social change, they show how farming systems can work better for women and build resilience.
- Climate Resilience
- Ethiopia
- Innovation
What works in gender-transformative innovation bundling? Evidence from learning labs in Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, researchers and partners tested a new way to scale agricultural innovation. By bundling technology, skills, and social change, they show how farming systems can work better for women and build resilience.
A familiar problem-seen differently
On Feb 24, 2026, experts discussed GT-STIBs in Ethiopia to show why pairing ag-tech with social support is essential for driving resilience and positioning women as agents of inclusive change.
The discussion drew on evidence from two learning labs in Ethiopia. What emerged was both encouraging and challenging.
- Encouraging - because integrated approaches are delivering real gains in adoption, resilience, and women’s empowerment.
- Challenging - because it confirms that technology and technical know how is rarely enough.
For decades, agricultural development has followed a “technology-first” model. The assumption has been that introducing improved seeds, irrigation, or digital tools will naturally lead to better outcomes. But in practice, technologies interact with deeply rooted social systems. Where inequality exists, benefits tend to flow unevenly.
This is the starting point for Gender-Transformative Socio-Technical Innovation Bundles (GT-STIBs) - an approach that treats innovation as a system rather than a single intervention.