A new toolkit to support a positive change towards gender equality outcomes within the Pacific agricultural sector

Farmers and others involved in organic agriculture in the Pacific are set to benefit from a new training toolkit launched in Suva, Fiji. The Gender and Organic Value Chain Analysis Toolkit will assist organic agriculture actors in learning how organic value chains work differently for women and men and how they can be improved by integrating gender considerations in value chain approaches.

“This toolkit is not just an output, but an opportunity to discuss the needs and opportunities for all actors in the organic sector, at the same time advocating for gender and social inclusion,” said Neema Nand, Project Manager of the SPC’s POETCom (Pacific Organic and Ethical Trade Community) Building Prosperity for Women Producers, Processors and Women Owned Businesses through Organic Value Chains (BPWP) project.

‘Understanding Gender’, ‘Questioning Inequalities’, ‘Why Gender Matters’ and ‘Thinking Gender Smart’ form the four modules of the toolkit. These main themes are illustrated with training and application exercises that create an opportunity to discuss gender and social inclusion in culturally appropriate ways.

The Australian High Commission charge d’Affaires John Williams in his keynote speech spoke on how gender equality is high priority for the Australian Government in their aid investments in the region, saying “the Australian Government reintroduced a performance target that 80 per cent of Australia’s aid investments address gender equality and the development of this toolkit is timely and relevant to the project and its beneficiaries across the region.”

The Gender and Organic Value Chain Analysis toolkit is targeted to impact producers, processors, and businesses in the organics sector in the Pacific, as well as partners, family, women producers and processors and women owned businesses in the organics sector.

Flavia Ciribello, the Gender and Value Chains Advisor who coordinated the production of the toolkit stated, “This toolkit will bring something new to the organic community in the Pacific. It is a practical guide to support a positive change towards gender equality outcomes within the agricultural sector, which is not possible without shifting mindsets, enhancing knowledge and strengthening the skills and capacities for addressing social inequalities.” 

This toolkit is published by POETCom with assistance from the Building Prosperity for Women Producers, Processors and Women-Owned Businesses through Organic Value Chains (BPWP) project.

This story was written by Vilimaina Tamata, originally published at SPC on 20 October 2022, reposted via PACNEWS.