Revisiting Gender Participation in Livestock Value Chains: Prospects for Effective Policy Development

Mainstreaming Livestock Value Chains: Bringing the Research to bear on Impact Assessment,

Policy Analysis and Advocacy for Development

Accra, 5-6 November 2013

Michèle Mbo’o-TchouawouRegional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support Systems (ReSAKSS)I

Setting the context

Why Gender participation in Livestock

Value Chain?

High potential for developing small-scale livestock initiatives

Limited attention paid to policy provisions contributing successful implementation of livestock interventions at the grassroots level

Focus on specific actor groups Limitation consideration of smallholder livestock producers (rural women and pastoralists) operating in rural settings

Salient Facts

Rural poor smallholders, including female livestock keepers

derive smaller gain in production;

more exposed to higher risks than other actors;

Relative benefits associated with the participation of in value chain operations

Research Problem & Question

• Challenge:Ensure income and benefits are distributed appropriately given

that changes in the chain may affect actor groups differently

• Question:How to increasingly integrate these disadvantaged actors

groups along the livestock chain?

• Assumption:Supporting smallholder participation (both men and women)

contribute to:

Socio-economic empowerment

Meaningful approach to poverty alleviation and rural development

Research objectives

• Competitive niches potentially available to the poor and women involved in livestock-related activities in rural areas

• Access to productive resources and opportunities for upgrading within the chain

• Prevalence and composition of vulnerable actor groups

• Resource entitlements and capabilities

• Geographic location• Information flows • Political, social and

economic institutions

Proposed methodology

• Value chain Analysis

• Multi-pronged Approach

Value chain Analysis

Rationale Gender approach to value chain analysis

considers access to productive activities and remunerative income-earning opportunities for men and women who are involved individually or as smallholder groups.

Value chain Analysis

Rationale:

A gender approach to value chain analysis

considers access to productive activities and remunerative income-earning opportunities for men and women who are involved individually or as smallholder groups.

Value chain Analysis

Gender-based division of livestock-related activities

Gender (socio-economic) empowerment related to assets and capabilities;

Gender-based constraints affecting the growth of livestock production and the competitiveness of smallholder livestock

Gender power relations

Value chain Analysis

One dimension:

Empowerment - changing gender relations in order to enhance women’s capabilities

Empowerment - differences in how women and men are involved in (and benefit from) value chains

- Effective value chain dynamics:

Multi-dimensional Analytical approach

Multi-pronged approach

Theoretical Perspectives

Poverty reduction theory

Theory of transaction costs

Business management theory

Conceptual Framework

Smallholder Participation in livestock value chains

Infrastructural & Institutional

bases

Risk Perception and Management

Heterogeneity

Chain governance arrangments

Possible targeted policy measures

Thank you!