Gender and forest, tree and Agroforestry value chains: evidence from literature

Abstract

The critical link between gender and forest and tree-based livelihoods is gaining recognition. A growing body of research has highlighted the role of gender in shaping access to, management of and use of forest, agroforestry and tree (FTA) resources and markets and their associated benefits (Mai, Mwangi et al. 2011). (Mai et al. 2011). Myriad development and trade interventions have affected how men and women participate and interact in the value chains as products travel from trees and forests to consumers in local and global markets. There is an increasing realisation however that interventions can be further optimized to alleviate poverty, ensure social inclusion and gender equity, enhance food security, nutrition and health, and promote the sustainable management of FTA resources (Bolwig, Ponte et al. 2008, Christopher Coles and Mitchell 2011). This chapter presents a systematic review of 189 studies with the aim of showing 1) the nature of gender differences in FTA value chains; 2) where these differences are concentrated within these value chains; 3) the factors that explain these differences; and 4) the extent to which these differences influence the value chain’s prospects for generating gender-equitable and sustainable outcomes. Using detailed, global examples from cocoa, shea, gums and resins and wood fuel chains, the impacts of interventions in these chains are assessed, particularly where they have resulted in gendered outcomes. Lessons will be drawn for improving equity and the impacts of interventions, with recommendations offered for policy makers, the private sector, development practionners and the research community. Gender and Forest, Tree and Agroforestry Value Chains – Evidence from Literature (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283665715_Gender_and_Forest_Tr… (accessed Nov 16 2017)