1. Gender Action Learning System for Coffee Chain Upgrading
Linda Mayoux
Hivos
Gender Action Learning System
for Coffee Chain Upgrading
Basic GALS Tools for value chain development Linda Mayoux, Paineto Baluku, Janet Biira for WEMAN, Oxfam Novib

2. Why Gender? Business Case
Women perform 70% of the work in coffee
Women are responsible for household wellbeing and food security
Men own the coffee land and control the income from coffee
70% men in Western Uganda and over 50% men in Northern Tanzania spend a large percentage of the money on alcohol
This leads to conflict in the household over labour and income and increases household poverty for men as well as women and children
Household poverty and conflict leads to poor coffee quality and unreliability in coffee supply
Similar conflicts in trader households lead to indebtedness and poor relationships throughout the chain.
National government, FTOs and development organisations supporting coffee production have a Gender Policy
International coffee marketing chains and their consumers are concerned about CSR and poverty reduction – particularly children and women
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux
February 2014
Basic GALS Tools for value chain development
Linda Mayoux, Paineto Baluku, Janet Biira for WEMAN, Oxfam Novib

3. ALTERNATIVE VISION Coffee supply chains,
farming and trading households
where:
Women equally with men
have access to high income levels
own the land and property
make investment decisions
plan for the household
Men equally with women
share work and
contribute income
for the farm
and household
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux
February 2014

4. Gender Framework
Promotion of women’s human rights as stated in UN CEDAW to enable both women and men to move forward in a just society
Right 1: Freedom from Violence
Right 2: Gender Equality in Decision-making
Right 3: Equal property rights
Right 4: Freedom of thought, movement and association
Right 5: Equal rights to work and leisure
Gender justice for men to enable them to challenge and change gender stereotypes and constraints preventing men and women from achieving their full human potential.
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux
February 2014

5. Gender principles Women are intelligent actors, not victims
Men are potential partners in change towards a just society
Women’s rights in CEDAW are non- negotiable
Redefine ‘culture’ in terms of underlying values of respect, inclusion and equity
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux
February 2014

6. INTERLINKED GENDER STRATEGIES
Strategy 2:
Gender mainstreaming for innovation and institutional change (GALS Phase 2)
Strategy 3:
Advocacy Network for policy improvement
(GALS Phase 3)
INTERLINKED GENDER STRATEGIES
Strategy 1:
Empowerment through Community-led Gender Action Learning
(GALS Phase 1)
February 2014
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux 6

7. Sources of inspiration
Participatory Learning and Action developed by Robert Chambers and others
REFLECT literacy methodology of Action Aid
Appreciative Enquiry
Internal Learning System of Helzi Noponen
Information Graphics, Systems and and Cognitive Mapping
Counselling and conflict resolution techniques
Good practices in adult education
Gender Action Learning System Overview
February 2014

8. Generic Process Principles
Focus on the positive: visioning, strengths, opportunities, win- win to build support for tackling challenges and conflicts
Action from Day 1: SMART activities and targets tracked over time from the very first session
Inclusion : everyone can be a leader of change
Social justice is non-negotiable : including gender
Sustainability : ownership, pyramid peer upscaling and integration
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux
February 2014
Basic GALS Tools for value chain development
Linda Mayoux, Paineto Baluku, Janet Biira for WEMAN, Oxfam Novib

9. Generic Diagram Tools Road Journey – strategic planning with SWOT
Used at all levels,
generally with symbol drawing,
to increase clarity of thinking and communication between stakeholders
Road Journey – strategic planning with SWOT
Vision and achievement journeys.
Trees – concept mapping.
Gender balance tree
Challenge Action Tree
Circle maps – relationship mapping
Empowerment Leadership Maps
Market Maps
Diamonds – change priorities and assessment
Empowerment, violence, property, decision- making, work etc.
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux
February 2014
Basic GALS Tools for value chain development
Linda Mayoux, Paineto Baluku, Janet Biira for WEMAN, Oxfam Novib

10. Gender is fun!
Songs and dances: promoting a vision, questioning culture and teaching tools
Interactive theatre and role play: visioning and most significant changes
Participatory photography and video
Technology – democratising the web
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux
February 2014
Basic GALS Tools for value chain development
Linda Mayoux, Paineto Baluku, Janet Biira for WEMAN, Oxfam Novib

11. Current GALS processes in coffee production
Hivos partnering with Ecom and Armajaro in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda aiming to reach 30,000 coffee farmers over 3 years
ON/IFAD GENVAD project Uganda and Rwanda reaching around 5,000 coffee farmers
TWIN UK Great Lakes Project: Uganda and Congo reaching around 1,000 farmers
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux
February 2014
Basic GALS Tools for value chain development
Linda Mayoux, Paineto Baluku, Janet Biira for WEMAN, Oxfam Novib

12. Achievements on Gender
Significant changes in decision-making, division of labour, land ownership and asset ownership
For large numbers of women and men (40-60%)
Some individual changes for some people immediate, others through collective efforts over 1-3 years
Gender awareness and change for more powerful stakeholders
Pyramid Peer upscaling is occurring voluntarily on a ratio of between 1-3 and even
Sustainability financial and organisational sustainability in Bukonzo Joint after 3 years
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux
February 2014
Basic GALS Tools for value chain development
Linda Mayoux, Paineto Baluku, Janet Biira for WEMAN, Oxfam Novib

13. Wider Benefits
Significant and documented improvements in coffee quality and productivity in Bukonzo Joint, West Uganda. Anecdotal improvements elsewhere.
Happier men in both farmer and trading households.
Improved communications and understanding between stakeholders throughout the chain.
Peer sharing networks established for dissemination of technical and other types of information.
Participatory processes established as basis for improved organisational and local government planning.
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux
February 2014

14. Challenges for GALS
Not immune to macro-effects of global prices, competition and economic recession
How to continually deepen inclusion of the poorest and most disadvantaged farmers
Maintaining scaling up once first people have changed – needs ongoing new input and support for innovation
How to develop strategies for hard cases (40%)
Simplicity of tools, but inevitable complexity of participatory process and analysis of reality itself
No blueprints: ongoing development and ‘Chinese Whispers’
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux
February 2014
Basic GALS Tools for value chain development
Linda Mayoux, Paineto Baluku, Janet Biira for WEMAN, Oxfam Novib

15. Opportunities and Challenges for GALS@Scale
Different private sector organisations competition vs collaboration?
Geographical distances and thereby manageability and costs
Weak and gender discriminatory local level structures and organisations
Possibilities for sustainability and scale
Possibilities for innovation in media and communication technology
Almost ‘blank slate’ Can start as mean to go on with quite ambitious community-led mainstreaming process
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux
February 2014

16. Why Coffee? Development Case
With gender strategy
No gender strategy
High income long term crop that can complement other sources of income
Development of gender-equitable cooperatives can lead to significant changes in gender relations, including incentives for changes in land agreements
Increased income well-planned by women and men leads to better food security, children’s education and investment in other productive activities
Greater security for farmers reduces distress sales and means that supply and also prices for traders can be more stable
Key entry point for Fair Trade and CSR
May increase women’s workload with very little benefit, taking them away from other income earning possibilities
Men consolidate control of available land and income and spend extra income on alcohol and more wives
Less food security and wellbeing for existing family
Increased profits concentrated up the chain
Undermine consumer confidence in FTOs
Probably much better use of development funds????
Gender Action Learning System Overview Linda Mayoux
February 2014

17. For further information see
Basic GALS Tools for value chain development Linda Mayoux, Paineto Baluku, Janet Biira for WEMAN, Oxfam Novib