Unleashing potential: gender and youth inclusive agri-food chains
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) have partnered to address youth- and gender-inclusive value chain development. This working paper provides a basis for SNV-KIT collaboration on gender and youth inclusive value chain development as well as offering inspiration and food for thought to others engaging on these issues. The paper looks at the changing ‘who’ in agriculture and challenges related to inclusive agricultural value chain development. The authors use a gender lens to specifically focus on women and young people’s challenges and potential opportunities in the agricultural sector. It is argued that inclusion is an active process and that harnessing excluded group’s potential using a market-savvy approach, can produce better results in agricultural value chains to meet current and future food and nutrition needs as well as provide livelihoods for the people involved. Part 1 addresses gender aspects to the question of ‘who’ is the farmer of tomorrow and provides background on gender dynamics in agriculture. Part 2 conceptualises youth in this sector. Part 3 looks at the intersection of youth and gender and how a gender lens sheds light on inclusion. Part 4 lays out the SNV-KIT partnership’s approach to inclusive value chain development for unleashing potential of young women and men. It looks at how value chain inclusion efforts can be more robust and nuanced. The paper’s concluding remarks focus on how value chain development can be more effective and equitable by engaging with gender, generational and power dynamics.