The Agri-Profocus learning trajectory on

Gender in Value Chains

Anna Laven (KIT), Anouka van Eerdewijk (CIDIN), Angelica Senders (ICCO), Catherine van Wees (HIVOS) and Roel Snelder (Agri-ProFocus)

10 March 2009

Brief overview of trajectory

Goal and purpose

How can women be (economically) empowered in/through value chains?

– What contributes to women’s empowerment?– Different chains?– What are ‘windows of choice’?– Alternative interventions?

Selected cases

Product Country APF organisations 1 Palm Oil Honduras ICCO 2 Tomatoes &

Cucumbers Tajikistan ICCO

3 Cocoa Ivory Coast Solidaridad and Utz 4 Treecrop Essential

oils Malawi Hivos and Tree Crops Ltd

5 Allan Blackia Tanzania Hivos and Faida Mali 6 Milk India Agriterra and I IMF 7 Coffee Peru Agriterra and JNC 8 Karite Burkina ICCO

Guidelines

Description of the chain

Description of the target group and its position in the chain

Description of the intervention

Achievements (before and after the intervention)

Lessons learned

Insights – types of chains

Selection bias- Only 8 cases- Mainly domestic chains

Lesson: Future analysis of cases would require a more balanced sample.

Insights from case analysis

1. The sexual division of labour within the chain and within the household (farming-system), plus their interaction.

2. The sexual division of labour, access and management within the chain.

3. The gender dynamics of decision-making within the household.

Insights - conceptual

1. Gender analysis is more than describing what women do and get in a chain.

2. Differentiate between achievements and empowerment.

3. The household cannot be considered a black box

4. The chain empowerment framework (only) partly does the job

Beyond chain empowerment…

CHAIN PARTNER

CHAIN CO-OWNER

ACTIVITY INTEGRATOR

Chain governance

Ch

ain ac

tivities

CHAIN ACTOR

1

2 4

3

Insight into gender dynamics

Four questions can be asked:

1. What are the gender dynamics in the household?

2. What are the key (gender) issues for women in the community?

3. What has changed for women and men in chain activities and chain management (vertical and horizontal dimensions)?

4. How do women and men value these changes?

An emerging framework…

Vertical integration into chain

What activities do women and men in the chain do? What benefits do women and men gain?

Horizontal integration into chain

Who determines the conditions under which these activities are done and benefits are gained and distributed?

Gender dynamics in household and

community

How do changes in the first two dimensions affect the gender division of labour, assets and decision-making within the household?

How do the changes in the first two dimensions affect the gender dynamics within the community?

I nstitutional context: rules, norms and

values

Which economic, political and social factors enable or constrain women’s empowerment on the other three dimensions?

How do changes in the first two dimensions influence the institutional context?

Tensions

chain empowerment

AND/OR

gender equality / empowerment

market orientation vs. right-based approach.

Some provisional ‘windows of choice’

Closing contracts and access to income

Women’s participation and representation in governance structure of chains.

Supporting women in women leadership and overcoming barriers to their representation

Working with local women’s organizations

Involve women, men and the community in defining what is empowerment to them

Technology for women

Reflections on our learning process

1. Different perspectives – concrete outputs

2. Learning by doing

3. Sharing roles

4. Network of ambassadors

5. Growing community of practice

Thank you for your attention!

Learning curve…

- The value chain approach is not ‘human’ enough

- We need to combine the value chain approach with the gender approach…

- More questions than answers…- Emerging conceptual framework…

Future

Further exchange and joint work within Agri-ProFocus

gender is a cross cutting issue within the Agri-ProFocus 4 year strategy. It is expected that it will be on the agenda within the country programmes of the partnership.

Open for other professionals interested, who will bring in new questions and perspectives.

Ensure greater interaction: http://genderinvaluechains.ning.com