Gender

One of CARE’s overarching principles of value chain development is gender justice and equity. Women provide the majority of agricultural labor in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, and they are the majority of smallholder farmers.1 In Bangladesh, women traditionally take care of livestock and poultry around the house, and women are playing an increasingly important role in agriculture as men seek offfarm paid work.2 However, while women play an important role in the production of food and the management of livestock, their work is often less visible and less valued than that of men.3 As a woman dairy farmer explained, “As my husband bought the cow he thinks he has the sole right over it. But he doesn’t see my effort, labor, and time spent on cow rearing which makes the cow produce more milk and increases the selling price of the milk.” And as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations states, “Women make significant contributions to the rural economy in all developing country regions, yet they consistently have less access than men to the resources and opportunities they need to be more productive. Increasing women’s access to land, livestock, education, financial services, extension, technology and rural employment would boost their productivity and generate gains in terms of agricultural production, food security, economic growth, and social welfare.