The Gender and Organic Value Chain Analysis Toolkit was launched today at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva. This toolkit will assist organic agriculture stakeholders to understand 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 value chain, at the same time advocating for gender and social inclusion.” – Ms Neema Nand, the Project Manager of the 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.

Ms Flavia Ciribello, the Gender and Value Chains Advisor who coordinated the production of this toolkit stated, “This toolkit will bring something new to the organic community in the Pacific. It isa 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.

Access the toolkit by clicking the link below:

https://heyzine.com/flip-book/ad81d08df4.html#page/1

About POETCom:
The Pacific Organic and Ethical Trade Community (POETCom) is a not for profit membership organisation with active members (farmers associations, farmer support organisations, NGOs, private sector, research institutions and working with governments) in 14 countries of the Pacific Island region with the Secretariat hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) in Suva, Fiji. POETCom’s mission is to coordinate, share information, support networking, capacity building and to establish a regional certification scheme; to grow the organic and ethical trade movement and contribute to a productive, resilient, sustainable and healthy Pacific Island region. www.organicpasifika.com

For more information, contact Vilimaina Tamata, POETCom Communications Assistant on vilimainat@spc.int