UN Women Gender Aware Value Chain Development

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION

Concern about the ability of the world’s ecosystems to continue supporting human life on earth is resulting in a renewed attentiveness to agriculture. In 2008, three major publications reported on the need to focus policy attention on food and farming. One finding of all three reports, supported by decades of research, is that developing gender-centered policies will ensure higher production and productivity in agriculture, and generate a large number of social benefits. With respect to value chains in particular, the fundamental premise is that paying attention to gender issues can increase production and productivity, speed up the adoption of innovations, raise household incomes, and ensure significant improvements to child health, nutrition, and educational levels, thus contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Investing in women farmers, assisting them to move into off-farm income generation, and increasing their effective participation in value chain organizations enhance the potential of value chain development to become an agent of sustainable social change.