Group photo of the participants at the gender component planning meeting held on 29-30 Nov, 2012
The gender component of the Livestock and Fish CGIAR Research Program provides “cross‐cutting analysis of development process and outcomes to ensure that the target beneficiaries of the program including women and vulnerable groups benefit from targeted interventions”. It is concerned to ensure that gender and equity are mainstreamed in a transformative way in the whole program.
On the 29-30 November 2012, the gender component team held a successful planning meeting in Nairobi. The highly participative meeting was aimed at looking at all the existing pieces of the gender strategy that have been developed and to jointly refine and develop a final strategy, log frame and action plan.
Kathy Colverson, the component leader, welcomed participants and kicked off the meeting with a presentation on the background and status of the gender strategy document and how the gender activities are expected to contribute to the Program’s implementation approach. The suggested approaches to integrate gender in the Program include: Gender analysis; gendered value chain analysis of livestock and fish value chains; gender analysis of livestock and aquaculture systems, identifying the roles, constraints and opportunities for men, women and poor; gender mainstreaming; development of methods /approaches and identification of strategies to address gender in value chain development, technology development, delivery and adaptation and marketing; and developing the skills and capacities of program staff and partners to identify and address gender issues in the development of livestock and fish value chains.
The introduction led to a discussion on the meeting objectives and expectations that brought clarity on the nature and direction of the two day discussions.
Accommodating versus transformative gender approaches
Paula Kantor, scientist with WorldFish introduced the gender transformative research approach and its possible role in CGIAR research. It was noted that while most of CGIAR research is seen to be more “accommodating”, there is potential to move toward “transformative” approaches through engaging partners, key opinion leaders, and using behavior change intervention among others. The discussion aided participants to better understand the approach and start developing plans on how to transition from accommodating to transformative approaches.
Continuous learning, testing different methods and approaches, and challenging working norms were identified as important aspects for this team and others working in the Livestock and Fish CGIAR Research Program in order to achieve greater and impactful outcomes.
Participants having a round table discussion
Small working groups reviewed the log frame and the gender strategy and came up with a more refined and integrated document that will guide the component’s immediate, medium and long term activities that begin in 2013.
A mapping exercise of the various projects that the different centers are implementing was also carried out. This enabled the team to understand the ongoing research activities, discuss how the projects would contribute to the program’s gender activities, potential areas to apply the component’s implementation approach, and identify opportunities for supporting and learning from each other.
The workshop concluded with participants expressing a great sense of unity, an enthusiasm to work together and a sense of ownership in the development and the implementation of the gender strategy.
Download the gender and equity strategy from the original proposal.
Gender transformative research at WorldFish
CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish 