This paper synthesises ILRI’s experience with the Crop and Goat Project (CGP) in Tanzania from a gender perspective.

Some findings were identified which are worthwhile pursuing in future similar projects. For example, access to and control over assets and the products and proceeds gained from them increased the independence of male and female household members as they can now make decisions with little dependence on resources of others.

The project has also been able to positively improve some of the key domains of gender empowerment, i.e. asset ownership, decisions-making ability and authority, independence, improved sense of worth, willingness and ability to question one’s status and capacity to negotiate relationships and change labour patterns.

Furthermore, the use of gender analysis in design, implementation and evaluation stages helped in providing an
understanding of the complexity of gender relations and labour organization and how they shape household strategies and power dynamics, and subsequently the differential impact of the project on different members of a household.

Finally, the various project activities have helped to clarify the need for new participatory approaches, i.e.
empowerment framework and pathway, to define a multi-level empowerment conceptual framework including a
carefully determined targeting strategy (like working with women’s and special interest groups and youth, but also
ensuring the engagement with men and boys), set empowerment goals, translate the framework and goals into a
pathway, identify indicators of change, and assess success of projects in enhancing change, all in a participatory fashion.

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