Fit for purpose? A review of guides for gender-equitable value chain development

Figures & data

Figure 1. Framework for assessing guides for gender-equitable value chain development.

Table 1. Criteria and parameters for review of guides.

General criteria	Parameters
(1) Theory of change on potential of VCD to transform gender relations and empower women and men	• Assumptions about strengthened capacities and access to information and decision-making
	• Building of self-confidence with effects on intra-household relations (increased equity, but also potential backlash or repercussions)
	• Enhanced ability to influence strategic decisions within the household, enterprise, community and beyond
	• Individual versus household-level outcomes
(2) Normative elements that influence gender relations	• Gender norms and values
	• Social acceptability of value chain activities
	• Preferences and aspirations
(3) Enabling environment for gender-equitable VCD	• Gender-responsiveness of laws, policies, formal rules, and regulations in relation to VCD
	• Service offer of support organisations with focus on gender-equitable VCD
(4) Gendered participation in the value chain	• Roles of women and men along value chain nodes
(5) Gendered participation in collective enterprises	• Position of women and men in the enterprise (e.g. management, administrative staff, permanent or temporary labour)
	• Influence on strategic business decisions
(6) Gendered division of household labour	• Division of labour in market and non-market-oriented activities (gender roles, time and labour constraints, drudgery)
	• Trade-offs across activity realms
(7) Gendered access to and control over household assets and VCD benefits	• Access to and control over productive assets (separate versus joint assets)
	• Intra-household distribution of VCD benefits/income
	• Influence on strategic livelihood decisions

Table 2. Reviewed guides on gender-equitable value chain development.

Guide	Year	Authors	International organisation
Making the strongest links: a practical guide to mainstreaming gender analysis in value chain development	2007	Linda Mayoux, Grania Mackie	International Labour Organization (ILO)
Promoting gender equitable opportunities in agricultural value chains: a handbook	2009	Deborah Rubin, Cristina Manfre, Kara Nichols Barrett	United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Improving opportunities for women in smallholder-based supply chains: business case and practical guidance for international food companies	2010	Man-Kwun Chan	Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
Gender mainstreaming in value chain development: practical guidelines and tools	2010	Jacqueline Terrillon	Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV)
Gender in value chains: practical toolkit to integrate a gender perspective in agricultural value chain development	2013	Angelica Senders, Anna Lentink, Mieke Vanderschaeghe, Jacqueline Terrillon	Agri-ProFocus
Measuring women’s economic empowerment in private sector development: guidelines for practitioners	2014	Erin Markel	Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED)
Developing gender-sensitive value chains: a guiding framework	2016	FAO	Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Table 3. Focus of the guides across different levels of the value chain.

	ILO	USAID	BMGF	SNV	AgriProFocus	DCED	FAO
Individual	++	+++	+	+++	++	++	+++
Household	++	+++	+	++	+++	++	++
Collective enterprise	+	+	+	+	++	+	+
Value chain	+++	++	++	++	+++	+	+
Business/regulatory environment	+	++	+	+++	+	+	+

Note: strong focus (+++), some focus (++), limited focus (+).

Table 4. Coverage of the guides across the assessment criteria.

	ILO	USAID	BMGF	SNV	AgriProFocus	DCED	FAO
Theory of change on potential of VCD to transform gender relations and empower women and men	+	++	++	++	+	+	+
Normative elements that influence gender relations	+	++	+	++	+	+	++
Enabling environment for gender-equitable VCD	++	+++	+	+++	+	+	+
Gendered participation in the value chain	++	+	+	++	+++	+	+++
Gendered participation in collective enterprises	+	+	+	+	+	++	+
Gendered division of household labour	+	+	+	++	+++	+++	+
Gendered access to and control over household assets and VCD benefits	+	++	+	++	+++	++	+

Note: strong (+++), some (++), limited /none (+).

Mayoux, L., and G. Mackie. 2007. Making the Strongest Links: A Practical Guide to Mainstreaming Gender Analysis in Value Chain Development. Addis Ababa: International Labour Organization (ILO).

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Rubin, D., C. Manfre, and K. Nichols Barrett. 2009. Promoting Gender Equitable Opportunities in Agricultural Value Chains: a Handbook. Washington, DC: US Agency for International Development.

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Chan, M. K. 2010. “Improving Opportunities for Women in Smallholder-based Supply Chains: Business case and practical guidance for international food companies.” Accessed 12 May, 2018. http://agriprofocus.com/upload/Bill_and_Melinda_Gates_Improving_opportunities_for_women_in_small_scale_supply_chains_-guide1428576461.pdf.

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Terrillon, J. 2010. Gender Mainstreaming in Value Chain Development: Practical Guidelines and Tools. The Hague: Corporate Network Agriculture SNV.

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Senders, A., A. Lentink, M. Vanderschaeghe, and J. Terrillon. 2013. Gender in Value Chains. Practical Toolkit to Integrate a Gender Perspective in Agricultural Value Chain Development. Arnhem: Agri-ProFocus.

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Markel, E. 2014. Measuring Women’s Economic Empowerment in Private Sector Development – Guidelines for Practitioners. Cambridge: Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED).

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FAO. 2016. Developing Gender-Sensitive Value Chains – A Guiding Framework. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

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