A photograph can shape how a farmer is perceived. A caption can reinforce or challenge a stereotype. Even the words used to describe a woman or man in an agricultural story can influence how their roles and contributions are understood.
For personnel of the Department of Agriculture–Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program in Zamboanga Peninsula, who regularly document field activities and tell the stories of farmers and beneficiary communities, these everyday communication choices can affect whether the people they serve are represented fairly.
This was the focus of a training and workshop on Gender-Fair Image and Language in Communication and Documentation conducted Sept. 15, 2026, at Jackies Hotel in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.
Rather than treating gender-fair communication as a matter of choosing the right words alone, the session encouraged DA-SAAD personnel to examine how gender can be reflected in photographs, captions, reports, feature stories, social media posts, presentations and other materials produced in the course of their work.
The discussion, facilitated by Mr. Nadzmar P. Abdulatip and Ms. Ellaine Quiamco, gave participants practical points to consider when documenting farmers and beneficiaries — from avoiding stereotypical portrayals to ensuring that women’s and men’s contributions are represented with equal attention and respect.
For personnel working in the field, the lessons have implications beyond communication outputs. The same principles can influence how they interact with farmers, whose experiences and contributions become the basis of reports, stories and other documentation produced by the program.
“Dako kaayo ning tabang, labi na nga magamit sa field work, aron kanunay natong ma-obserbahan ang gender-fair approach sa pakig-interact sa mga farmers ug beneficiaries sa program,” said Reena Clemente, Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development (MAED) Sub-unit Lead.
The practical value of the session lies in bringing these considerations into routine work. When personnel decide who is included in a photograph, whose contribution is highlighted in a story, how a beneficiary is described or which details are emphasized in a report, they are also shaping how communities see the women and men who participate in agricultural development.
The training therefore provides DA-SAAD personnel with another lens for reviewing their own communication practices — not only after a material has been produced, but while gathering information, taking photographs, conducting interviews and interacting with beneficiaries in the field.
Assistant Provincial Coordinating Officer Desiree Ariola opened the activity, emphasizing the importance of communication practices that recognize the different experiences and contributions of people involved in agricultural development. Regional Technical Director for Operations Maria Melba B. Wee also graced the activity.
For DA-SAAD, applying a gender-fair approach means moving beyond simply avoiding inappropriate language or images. It means paying closer attention to whose voices are heard, whose work is visible and how farmers and beneficiaries are portrayed across the program’s communication and documentation.
As personnel bring the lessons back to their field work, the expected change is not simply in the language of future reports or the composition of photographs. It is in the way they observe, document and tell the stories of the communities they serve — with greater attention to fairness, dignity and the contributions of both women and men. ###
