Gender accommodative versus transformative approaches: a comparative assessment within a post-harvest fish loss reduction intervention

Abstract

Technical and social constraints limit value chain actors from equitably engaging in and benefiting from capture fisheries in low-income settings. Extension and development programs often focus on the former, which reflects a technocratic orientation of the fisheries sector and uncertainty about effective ways for development programs to engage with gender and other social constraints. This study presents empirical insights that address these challenges to fisheries development. The study took place in fishing camps in the Barotse Floodplain, Zambia to compare two approaches addressing gender constraints within a broader post-harvest fish loss reduction intervention: an accommodative and a transformative approach. The former embodied a more common 'practical needs' set of strategies to ensure female participation, while the latter comprised a communication tool embedded in an action research process to build critical consciousness. Results indicate that the use of a transformative approach led to significant changes in gender equal attitudes and women's empowerment outcomes compared to only using an accommodative approach. Development programs working in fisheries can apply the findings to engage effectively with gender constraints, especially using transformative approaches to help enable women and men to overcome the social and technical barriers that constrain their lives and livelihoods.

Gender equity and reduction of post-harvest losses in agricultural value chains

“…To improve gender equity, potential approaches to consider are working with existing women's groups, using women as trainers or extensionists, using gender targets or incentives to increase women's representation and leadership within male-dominated groups, and focusing on the parts of the value chain where women tend to be most active (e.g., processing as opposed to transport). If feasible, adopting gender-transformative approaches that integrate interactive behaviour change communication on gender equity for decisionmaking and resource use may help to shift underlying gender norms and better empower women, such as by increasing their decision-making power on topics related to PHL reduction (74). Across all intervention types, it will be essential to include women as active participants in shaping the modalities of service delivery to ensure that it responds to their needs and to carefully consider the gender dynamics shaping the value chain (54) and where PHL fits within those.…”

Fishing Livelihoods and Social Diversity

“…For example, WorldFish as an organisation has spent many years embedding a gender transformative approach to its work. It can now point to measurable outcomes from interventions, whereby women have increased choice regarding income activities in seafood supply chain and control over the income they generate, with corresponding positive effects for their families (Cole et al, 2020).…”

Onto the Farm, into the Home: How Intrahousehold Gender Dynamics Shape Land Restoration in Eastern Kenya

“…While women's participation in agricultural workshops alone is unlikely to transform entrenched gender norms, integrating deliberate actions to address inequitable gender relations in project design and implementation, show promise (Kantor et al 2015, Cole et al 2020, Lecoutere and Wuyts 2020. For instance, in Uganda a research project employing participatory approaches that aimed to address gender inequalities, resolve conflict, and foster collaboration and negotiation is reported to have achieved substantial gains in strengthening women's rights to forest and tree resources and their inclusion in community forestry decisions (Mukasa et al 2016).…”