Projects share strategies to increase access of women farmers to agricultural markets and services

Mozambican women selling fruit. Innovative approaches can enhance access of small-scale women farmers to vital markets for their produce. (Photo credit ILRI/Mann)

The recently concluded AgriGender 2011 workshop on gender and market-oriented agriculture which took place at the Addis Ababa campus of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) from 31 January to 2 February 2011 featured discussions on experiences from research on how best to increase the access of small-scale farmers, many of whom are women, to agricultural markets and value chains.

ILRI’s Market Opportunities theme was represented at the workshop by Dr Isabelle Baltenweck, agricultural economist with ILRI’s research team on smallholder competitiveness in changing markets and Dr Ranjitha Puskur, head of ILRI’s research team on innovation in livestock systems.

Below are links to their presentations on lessons learned from two projects, collaboratively undertaken by ILRI and partners, which adopted innovative approaches towards enhancing the access of smallholder farmers to agricultural inputs, services and markets.

Using hubs to increase smallholder farmers’ access to services: Experiences from the East Africa Dairy Development project
By Isabelle Baltenweck and Immaculate Omondi
An overview of how the East Africa Dairy Development project is using an approach involving community-based hubs to bring dairy services closer to small-scale farmers in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. This innovative approach has greatly enhanced the access of dairy farmers to agro-veterinary inputs, animal health services and milk markets.

The role of gender in crop value chains in Ethiopia
By Lemlem Aregu, Ranjitha Puskur and Clare Bishop Sambrook
Presentation of results of a gender analysis by the project, Improving Productivity and Market Success of Ethiopian farmers (IPMS) which examined the influence of gender in crop production, marketing, decision-making and access to services and technologies. Potential barriers to women’s and men’s participation in market-led development initiatives are identified and remedial actions to overcome these barriers recommended. The IPMS project was involved in participatory commodity development using a value chain approach.

Strategies for increasing women’s participation in agricultural value chain development: Lessons from IPMS experiences
By Lemlem Aregu and Ranjitha Puskur
An overview of approaches used by the IPMS project to increase women’s participation in agricultural value chains and enhance the access to knowledge and services. Based on the lessons learned from the project, several recommendations are proposed that may assist in planning and management of similar projects.

Outcomes of women’s participation in market-oriented community development: Evidence from IPMS
By Ranjitha Puskur and Lemlem Aregu
An overview of an assessment of the immediate socio-economic outcomes for women farmers who participated in IPMS project interventions in value chains involving poultry, small ruminants, dairy, feed and forage, apiculture, fruits and vegetables.

View more presentations from the AgriGender 2011 workshop on the ILRI Slideshare page at http://www.slideshare.net/tag/agrigender2011.

Find out more about ILRI’s gender-related research on the ILRI Gender and Agriculture blog.