Current gender consultancy assignment builds on insightful report to develop a tool to mainstream gender into Pacific agro-value chains

The report “Opportunities to strengthen the gender dimension in a Pacific agriculture, nutrition and value chain development project” provides a framework for mainstreaming gender issues throughout all of the CTA/IFAD/PIPSO ‘Promoting Nutritious Food Systems in the Pacific Islands’ project activities, and functions as an action plan. Additionally, for those seeking to get insights and ideas on strengthening the gender dimension into agricultural value chain and agribusiness initiatives in the Pacific Islands context, a current stock-take on existing concepts, involved organisations, approaches and key publications can be found.

However since there is no existing specific gender mainstreaming approach for Pacific value chains yet, currently a gender consultancy assignment is running to develop an ultra-light analytical tool to assess how the gender dimension can be of support to agro-value chains. This will serve to capture lessons on gender mainstreaming (especially with input from gender experts in the agricultural sector from across the region), with the goal that the toolkit will become a valuable resource for governments and development partners for the future. The project envisages making use of the Innov4AgPacific platform to support the M&E aspects of gender mainstreaming.

“In this modern economy, rural women understand basic business strategies. In the fisheries sector, women demonstrate this through cooperation – working collectively for consistent production, supply and volume; exploring business opportunities; diversifying their markets and adapting to changes by managing existing resources. Empowerment in business equals success for individual women, their families and communities.”

Cherie Morris, Executive Board Member, Women in
Fisheries Network, Fiji