This toolkit intends to motivate and help practitioners in integrating a gender perspective in agricultural value chain development, by providing practical tools for all stages of the value chain intervention. It follows the logic of the value chain development project cycle, structuring practical tools for all stages accordingly. The toolkit provides an overview of material available on gender and value chains. The tools are selected from manuals produced by USAID, SNV, GIZ, ILO and other organisations in the Agri-ProFocus ‘Gender in Value Chains’ network.
This toolkit is targeted towards practitioners working with different actors in agricultural value chains, as well as practitioners that work with organisations that support or influence agricultural value chains, such as NGOs, knowledge institutions, government, BDS and microfinance organisations. It includes two main types of tools: 1) tools that support data-collection and research to gain insight into gender constraints, (opportunities and) strategies within certain value chains; and 2) tools guiding the facilitation of participatory processes in order to involve male and female value chain actors in the different stages of the project. The toolkit is not designed as a ready-made recipe to integrate gender into a value chain development project, but rather it offers a range of tools that can be used at every stage of an intervention.
Recommendations:
- When starting a gender in value chain intervention, the strategy to follow has to be decided on first. This is largely determined by the type of organisation involved. There are five main types of strategies for addressing gender-sensitive value chain development.
- Before beginning an intervention, practitioners should always perform an analysis of the wider social, cultural and economic environment of the target group. Scoping this broader context will allow the intervention to be more successful as it is applied more appropriately to the needs of the target group.
- An in-depth value chain analysis from different disciplines is crucial to the success of any value chain development intervention, and it will help serve as a starting point for the upgrading phrase.
- There are six entry-points for upgrading: 1) farmers and their organisations; 2) processors and traders; 3) lead companies; 4) business development—and financial services; 5) certified value chains; and 6) enabling environment.
- The success of interventions should always be measured, and there are several tools that can do so with a specific focus on gender issues. Lessons drawn from this measuring process can serve as an entry point in defining a new, or adjusting the old, upgrading strategy.