The gender strategy of the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish highlights the key role of gender analysis in livestock value chain research and guides the integration and implementation of related research activities.

One of the outputs of the strategy focuses on ‘increase[ing] gender capacity within CGIAR centers, partner organizations and value chain actors to diagnose and overcome gender-based constraints within value chains’.

The program also recognizes the important role that partners play in delivering outcomes jointly. Thus, it collaborates with both research and development partners to eliminate constraints to the participation of women and marginalized groups in value chain activities to increase the benefits they gain from enhanced livestock commercialisation.

To this end, the Program’s gender team, in collaboration with the Dutch consultancy Transition International (TI), has produced a gender capacity assessment tool. The tool is used to evaluate existing skills and gaps in partners’ gender capacities and identify measures to address them. In 2015, the tool was implemented in four L&F value chain countries (Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Tanzania and Uganda). The findings are currently being validated with partners, and roadmaps and tailored interventions addressing gender capacity gaps are also being discussed with them.

Download a capacity development brief on this experience.

This brief was published as part of an internal ‘capacity development’ week at ILRI in December 2015.