In the run up to the Livestock and Fish gender working group meeting in Addis Ababa in October 2013, ILRI agro-economist Jo Cadilhon shares some ideas on the importance of gender in value chain development.

Facilitating an income-and-expenditure seasonal calendar with members of the Mulukanoor Women’s Dairy Cooperative (Photo credit: Jo Cadilhon)

I have finally realized the importance of incorporating gender into my research on value chain development. From a development perspective, numerous studies have shown how the empowerment of women (through education, increased incomes and getting a real say in household decision making) has a powerful impact on the livelihoods of households.

We, however, still need to make the connection between this wider understanding and the specifics of our value chain research. In particular, we need to gather information and data to prove that our value chain interventions have positive impacts on women.

So when the Mulukanoor women’s dairy…