Food for thought: 3 main tensions in research for equitable livestock systems Alessandra Galiè, PhD Team leader: Gender, and Principal Scientist International Livestock Research Institute a.galie@cgiar.org mailto:a.galie@cgiar.org 2 This work was conducted as part of the CGIAR Initiative on Sustainable Animal Productivity for Livelihoods, Nutrition and Gender Inclusion (SAPLING). CGIAR research is supported by contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund. CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food-secure future dedicated to transforming food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis. Acknowledgements 2 Content overview: 3 main contentions -Overview of ILRI and the GESI team -3 contentions: 1. Not all livestock systems are the same 2. Technology/innovations do not impact everyone the same way 3. Not all empowerment pathways are the same 3 ILRI overview The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works for better lives and better planet through livestock ILRI is a C GIAR research centre, a global research partnership for a food-secure future C GIAR is dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services 4 ILRI has office in 10 countries in Africa: Ethiopia, Kenya, Burking Faso, Burundi, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe; and in 4 countries in Asia: C hina, India, Nepal and Vietnam. ILRI has roughly 600permanent staff (40% women and 60% men). The ILRI gender team has approximately 18 people spread in various locations ILRI offices and staff ILRI is co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia, has 14 offices across Asia and Africa 5 The goal of the ILRI GESI team better lives and better planet through livestock better lives for All women, girls, men and boys and better planet through livestock Contributes to research work under the CGIAR Initiative on Sustainable Animal Productivity for Livelihoods, Nutrition, and Gender Inclusion, (SAPLING) 6 Our GESI research Gender norms Policies Feeds and Forages Animal genetics Animal health Environment Integrated in livestock pillarsStrategic research Nutrition Empowerment 7 What we do -Exploratory research -We co-develop packages of interventions that address challenges -Partner with local organizations to implement interventions -Study the impact of intervention -Improve interventions until they work -Pass on the tested interventions to others for scaling 8 The example of the Women in Business project RESEARC H: ‘what are the main challenges and opportunities for young women in this livestock community?’ 9 The example of the Women in Business project INTERVENTION: support young women vets to connect women farmers to good chicken breeds, inputs and markets 10 Women in Business: key interventions RESEARC H: how did the intervention impact women’s empowerment? And nutrition? 11 Integrated work 12 Strategic work (2023-2024) 13 Better lives for ALL Supportive gender norms Research tools Women’s empowerment Gender-responsive livestock innovations Conducive Policy environment 14 What are some key complexities that we face? 3 contentions: 1. Not all livestock systems are the same 2. Technology/innovations do not impact everyone the same way 3. Not all empowerment pathways are the same 1. Not all livestock systems are the same 16 •ILRI strives to bring a southern perspective to global discourses on livestock •The gender team strives to bring a southern and equity perspective to these discourses ILRI’s advocacy role 17 Small-scale livestock farms in LMIC s Small-scale farms provide more than half of the world’s food 1.7 billion poor people rely on livestock for their livelihoods Women are two thirds of the world’s poor livestock keepers 18 Agnes: “In this village, nothing grows, only sheep and goats. Younger men go to the city to earn an income. Women can’t do that. All we can do is to look after our animals, keep them alive, and use what they produce to feed our children” 19 Vulnerability Poor women rely on livestock for livelihoods and nutrition Yet, livestock are heavily affected by climatic changes Poor rural women are the most affected by c limatic changes… The livelihoods of poor women in livestock, and the nutrition of their children are extremely vulnerable 20 Climatic changes are created by wealthier countries… …that are opposing livestock systems because of green house gasses Poor women rely on livestock for livelihoods and nutrition, vis-à-vis climatic changes they did not cause, and, also, the opposition of wealthy countries Taking the blame 21 are the same…’ In some places, livestock are the only: • viable source of livelihoods • source of livelihood for poor women • source of nutrition for children We need to rebalance discourses on livestock to consider perspectives of rural women from LMICs ‘Not all livestock systems 2. Technology and innovations do not impact everyone the same way 23 ILRI’s role • ILRI develops technologies and innovations to support livestock systems in LMIC s • The gender team strives to bring an equity perspective on the development of such technologies and innovations 24 Innovations to face climate change Technological and socio-institutional innovations are needed to face climate change but… •Technology is not gender-neutral: the way technologies and innovations are designed affects who benefits and who is left out •Different people have different capacities to access and use innovations 25 Technology is not gender neutral 26 Different people have different capacities to use innovations By Annabel S later 27 ‘Technology and innovations do not impact everyone the same way’ We need to develop technologies and innovations that respond to the needs of everyone and benefit everyone 3. Not all empowerment pathways are the same 29 ILRI’s role The gender team strives to enhance the empowerment of women and youth in livestock: assess; address Problem: Gender-based disadvantage limits the potential of livestock to improve livelihoods Solution: Women’s empowerment to reduce disadvantage By Annabel S later 31 Defining ‘women’s empowerment’ Gained capability of women for self-determination: to take control over their own circumstances and to realize their aspirations in order to live a life they have reason to value (Annas, 2003; Kabeer, 1999; Sen, 1990) 32 Community conversations: communities support young women in business Genderchampions among local leaders WomenAHSPs to reach women farmers Deliver vaccines with drones to reach remote areas, lower costs, improve cold chain Women agents for inputs and markets to women farmers Social media for conducive gender norms Street theatre for nutrition and masculinities Example of interventions for empowerment The Women’s Empowerment in Livestock Index (WELI) Astandardized measure to assess the empowerment of women in the livestock sector (Galiè et al 2018) 34 WELI indicators 34 1 Autonomy in Income 2 Self-efficacy 3 Attitudes about IPV against women 4 Respect among household members 5 Input in household decisions about Production and Income 6 Ownership of land and other assets 7 Access to and decisions on financial services 8 Control over use of income 9 Work-life Balance 10 Visiting Important Locations 11 Group membership 12 Membership in influential groups Intrinsic Agency Instrumental Agency Collective Agency WELI 13 Indicators Weighted average score 3DE EMPOWERED if adequate in 75% of indicators 35 Why a universal tool to measure empowerment in livestock Measure whether and how livestock interventions enhance/hinder empowerment Compare empowerment status across context; between women and men Identify sources of women’s disempowerment to inform interventions 36 ‘Not all empowerment pathways are the same’ • Individual path to self-determination VS standard measure • Complexity of empowerment VS ‘one index number’ We need to consider whether universal pathways of empowerment exist…and what parameters to shape empowering interventions 37 Overview of main messages 1. Not all livestock systems are the same: We need to rebalance discourses on livestock to consider perspectives of rural women from LMIC s 2. Technology/innovations do not impact everyone the same way: We need to develop technologies and innovations that respond to the needs of everyone and benefit everyone 3. Not all empowerment pathways are the same: We need to consider whether universal pathways of empowerment exist… and what parameters to shape empowering interventions 38 Some recent publications 1. Njiru N. M., A. Galiè, I. Omondi, D. Omia, A. Loriba, P. Awin (2024): ‘Gender transformative innovation: Women’s inclusion in livestock vacc ine systems in northern Ghana’. Agricultural Systems , 219, 104023. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104023 2. Baltenweck I., et al (2024): ‘Livestock as a pathway to women’s empowerment in low and medium income countries: A scoping review’. Journal of Development Studies. 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2024.2319072; 3. Galiè* A., A. McLeod*, Z. A. C ampbell, N. Ngwili, Z. G. Terfa, L. F. Thomas (2024): ‘Gender considerations in One Health: A framework for researchers.’ Frontiers in Public Health, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1345273 *shared first authorship 4. Farnworth C R, Galiè A, Gumucio T, Jumba H, Kramer B, Ragasa C . (2024): ‘Women’s seed entrepreneurship in aquaculture, maize, and poultry value chains in Ghana, Kenya, and Tanzania.’ Front. S ustain. Food Syst. S ec. Land, Livelihoods and Food S ecurity, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1198130 https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2024.2319072 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1345273 https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1198130 Food for thought: main tensions in research f equitable livestock systems •Alessandra Galiè,PhD |Team leader: Gender, and Principal Sc ientist • International Livestock Research Institute |ilri.org or • Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya • a.galie@cgiar.org Alessandra Galiè, PhD Team leader: Gender, and Principal Scientist International Livestock Research Institute a.galie@cgiar.org mailto:a.galie@cgiar.org mailto:a.galie@cgiar.org Slide Number 1 Slide Number 2 Slide Number 3 ILRI overview ILRI offices and staff The goal of the ILRI GESI team Slide Number 7 What we do Slide Number 9 Slide Number 10 Slide Number 11 Integrated work Strategic work (2023-2024) Slide Number 14 What are some key complexities that we face? Slide Number 16 Slide Number 17 Slide Number 18 Slide Number 19 Slide Number 20 Slide Number 21 Slide Number 22 Slide Number 23 Slide Number 24 Slide Number 25 Slide Number 26 Slide Number 27 Slide Number 28 Slide Number 29 ILRI’s role Slide Number 31 Slide Number 32 Slide Number 33 Slide Number 34 Slide Number 35 Slide Number 36 ‘Not all empowerment pathways are the same’ Slide Number 38 Some recent publications Slide Number 40