When did the first academic questions around gender and agriculture arise? For the CGIAR it was at least 1986, when a group of researchers at the annual consortium meeting came together over a common feeling: “[G]ender issues needed a special focus as part of the agricultural development process, because different user groups have different technology needs.” See pages 12-20 especially for the evolution of this thinking within CGIAR and its partners, and pages 36-37 for why good gender analysis means reaching out to social scientists.
Poats, S V. Issues in Agriculture. (December 1991) No. 3. Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.