Gender Analysis of Value Chain A Case study of Honey Production

Jagriti Shankar

Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. Email: jagriti.shankar@gmail.com

Based on Tool Developed for IFAD funded APMAS Project http://apmasnetwork.org/tools/gvc_tool)

Objectives

What is Gender Analysis of Value Chain

Why do Gender Analysis

Process of Gender Analysis and Engendering

Recommendations

Value Chain and Value Chain Analysis

A Value Chain is a chain of activities that are performed in

order to deliver a valuable product or service for the market.

Value Chain Analysis (VCA) is a methodology for identifying

effective strategies for Value Chain Development (VCD) for

pro-poor growth.

VCA aims to:

Identify points of intervention for upgrading VC to compete on

local, regional and international markets

Improve situation of people currently disadvantaged in the value

chain

Gender Analysis of Value Chain

"Mainstreaming gender analysis in value chain

development is likely to encourage creative thinking

about a range of different potential strategies for

upgrading of the value chain as a whole and also

protecting the interests of those most vulnerable at

specific stages within it." (ILO, 2007)

Value Chain development often fail to integrate gender

analysis - despite the gender mainstreaming policies of

donor agencies and gender commitments of the

governments involved

Gender Analysis for what??

To analyze, develop and upgrade a value chain

To understand how women and men are involved in the

set of activities of value chain

To identify the constraining factors for women in a value

chain

To analyze the ways to overcome the problems and

maximize benefits to both women and men

Why focus on gender equality?

Gender equality of opportunity and women's empowerment are essential for economic growth. Countries that have taken positive steps to promote gender equality have higher levels of economic growth

Gender inequality and women's disempowerment create and sustain poverty

Women often have prime responsibility for children and family welfare which makes them key actors in poverty reduction strategies

Enabling women to realize their full potential benefits men too, as it improves the economic growth and overall quality of life for everyone

Essentials of Gender Analysis-1

The Gender Analysis focuses on finding and addressing

the ‘Weakest Links‘, which are most critical areas for

upgrading quality and growth

Women and men are likely to be involved at different

stages of the chain as producers, entrepreneurs, in

marketing, and as consumers. The areas where women

are involved are often less visible and may be overlooked

in both analysis and development. Gender Analysis will

highlight those areas.

Essentials of Gender Analysis-2

Gender Analysis can identify power relations, as gender

inequalities in VC could be due to gender power relations,

making women assume low key roles, which could be

blockage to growth

Gender analysis can explain why particular chains are

dominated by men or women, and how women can be

supported to make a more effective economic

contribution?

Weakest Links -> Strongest Links

Value Chain Engendering

Objectives:

Understand components of value chain

Identify how women are involved in value chain

Identify constraints that women have in getting benefits

from value chain

Suggest ways for gender sensitive upgrading of value chain

Source: http://apmasnetwork.org/tools/gvc_tool

Case Study: Honey Value Chain

Image Source: https://www.etsy.com/market/bee_hive_clipart

Process of Engendering Honey Value Chain

Step 1: Draw Main

Functions

Step2: Map Stakeholders

Step 3: Find out small scale

women entrepreneurs

Step 4: Find out invisible

women workers

Step 5: Problem

Identification

Step 6: Chain Upgrading

Women’s and men’s positioning in the value chain system could vary

in different places, different cultures and in different economies.

Step 1: Draw Main Functions

Draw Preliminary Map of value chain. It is a simple flow chart from input stage to the

output stage. This gives an initial view based on what we know about the value chain.

=> The Honey value chain starts with preparing the hives. It goes through honey

production, wholesale trading, processing and packaging of honey, and then honey

reaches to market.

Step2: Map Stakeholders

Draw the stakeholders involved in the value chain. Draw men and women in different

colors. If known (or can be estimated) then write the percentage of women and men

involved at every stage.

=> Stakeholders mapping shows that Honey making is predominated by men. There are only

a few women involved at the input stage for preparing protective materials, because

traditionally honey making skills are inherited only to the next generation male members.

Step 3: Find out small scale women entrepreneurs

To identify women's involvement, start with mapping small scale women entrepreneurs

or home based women workers.

=> There were small scale women producers or traders involved, catering to local consumers.

Women were also occasionally given the task of packaging at home.

A Note on Finding Small Scale Honey

Makers

In some value chains women’s involvement are found easily, while others need hard digging to explore existence of women honey makers.

These questions might help to dig more information:

Are there any honey makers who make honey for neighborhood consumption?

Are there any women headed households/single women in the business?

Are women self help groups doing honey making?

Does packaging or other small tasks outsourced to women?

Step 4:Find Out Invisible Women Workers-1

Now let us try to find out invisible women at each stage.

These could be wives or other female members of

household who help in the work, while the prime

responsibility is seen as of male member.

They are called invisible because these women’s work gets

unnoticed, uncounted and unpaid in the economy.

These women might be doing (or helping with) small tasks

here and there, e.g. preparation, transporting, packaging,

helping to do small activities to maintain quality, etc.

Step 4: Invisible Women Workers-2

Step 4: Result

It was found that many women were involved in each activity

of honey production.

These women were family members of honey producers.

Women were doing a lot of work in cleaning and preparing

hives, preparing instruments etc.

Also, 10-15% of honey was drawn by women to produce local

beer, which was creating social problem of alcoholism.

If women participation in the mainstream honey making could

be increased then the honey (for beer) will retain in the value

chain and will economically and socially benefit women and

households.

Step 5: Problem Identification-1

Women involved in the value chain might be doing a great

deal of work from production to marketing, without

getting appropriate economic benefits. So we need to

find out resisting factors.

To do this, each process should be analyzed from a

gender perspective.

Each problem or restraining factor should be written

down in a bubble in the VC map. Use one bubble for one

problem (or use post-it).

Oh dear!

Think why women

are not able to gain

benefits from honey

making?

Step 5: Problem Bubbles

Some possible problems that women face at each stage of

the value chain:

1. Input Stage

I. Finance or startup capital

II. Social Stigma to do men’s work

2. Production Stage

1. Physical constraint in climbing trees

2. Technical constraint of lacking skills of honey making

Step 5: Problem Identification-3

3. Trading Stage

1. Women lack voice in trading, setting up prices, or in trade

unions due to their smaller number

4. Processing/packaging Stage

1. Lack of Investment capital to buy processing machines

2. Lack of Machinery, modern packaging facilities

3. Lack of skills

Step 5: Problem Identification-4

4. Marketing Stage

1. Lack of local and international market info.

2. Lack of info on buyers, rates, standards, etc.

5. Other Constraints

1. Sole responsibility of housework limits women’s

time for income earning activities

Step 5: Problem Identification-5

Step 6: Value Chain Upgrading

Value Chain upgrading means improvement in process,

product and functions of value chain

Value Chain upgrading also refers to creating favorable

and enabling environment for women’s participation

1.Process Upgrading

A. Upgrade processes by increasing efficiency of internal

processes & making them gender sensitive.

B. Analyze:

a) Where in the process gender discriminations exist?

b) What are the issues in the workplace that undermine

women workers?

c) Is the place of work gender sensitive, e.g. women’s safety,

proper toilet facilities etc.

d) Are policies of work place gender sensitive e.g. does

workplace has policies on wages, increment, timings,

maternity leaves, and harassment etc.?

2. Products Upgrading

A. Upgrade products by improving old products and introducing new products.

B. Explore women’s needs/market and introduce new products for women. Women entrepreneurs can particularly benefit from this.

C. Analyze:

A. Do women have necessary knowledge and skills for quality production? If not then intervention is needed at that point.

B. Do women know about international quality standards?

C. Do women have access to resources for market study or investment for new products?

D. Can new products be introduced for local and international female market?

3. Functional upgrading

A. Upgrade functions by adding value to activities

performed by value chain actors.

B. This includes analyzing current activities and then

upgrading or downgrading activities.

C. Analyze:

A. Can women upgrade current work to improve the product?

e.g. Adding grading or packaging at source can fetch women

more price for their produce.

4. Environment upgrading

A. Create enabling environment for women entrepreneurs’

entry into business, run and sustain businesses.

B. Analyze:

a) Are support services available for women workers?

b) Can alliances (SHGs etc.) be made to inform women about

market trends, market price, market standards etc.?

c) Do institutions for women workers’ capacity building exist? If

not, can new institutions be set up?

d) Are institutional, legal and policy frameworks gender

sensitive?

References

ILO, 2007, ‘Making the strongest links‘, ed. Linda Mayoux

and Grania Mackie

Mind Tools, ‘Value Chain Analysis’

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_10.ht

m

IFAD, Access to markets: Making value chains work for

poor rural people,

http://www.ifad.org/english/market/index_full.htm

Image Source

https://www.pinterest.com/dawnsheri/silhouette-my-

pooh-bear/

http://imgarcade.com/1/honey-clip-art/

http://galleryhip.com/winnie-the-pooh-with-honey-pot-on-

head.html

https://www.etsy.com/market/bee_hive_clipart

Thank you !!!