Poster by Elizabeth Waithanji, Jemimah Njuki, Edna Mutua, Birgit Boogaard, Isabelle Baltenweck and Gerald Mutinda presented at the CGIAR Gender Network workshop on “Closing the gender gap in agriculture: Opportunities for collaboration in gender-responsive research”, Seattle, WA, 25-27 July 2012.
Application of Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) in assessing the gendered impact of a dairy value chain project
1. Application of Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture
Index (WEAI) in Assessing the Gendered Impact of a
Dairy Value Chain Project
Elizabeth Waithanji1, Njuki Jemimah2, Mutua Edna1, Boogaard Birgit1, Isabelle Baltenweck 1
and Gerald Mutinda 3
1International Livestock Research Institute 2Care USA 3East Africa Dairy Development (EADD)/ Heifer International
The East Africa Dairy Gendered Impact
Development (EADD) Project Assessment using the WEAI
WEAI is an Methodology
EADD is a regional dairy industry
development project (2008-2012) aggregate of the 5DE Quantitative data was
that is implemented in Kenya, and the GPI collected through household
Uganda and Rwanda surveys. Male and female
It is funded by the Bill and Melinda heads of household were
Gates Foundation and is being interviewed using the
implemented by a consortium of household module
partners led by Heifer Spouses from male headed
International in partnership with households were
TechnoServe, ILRI, ICRAF and ABS interviewed using the
TCM individual module and
EADD envisions transforming simultaneously with the
179,000 families by doubling male head of households
household dairy income through Qualitative data was
integrated interventions in, dairy obtained through in-depth
production, market access and case study interviews for
knowledge application selected women
The (EADD) Gender Strategy Advantages of using the
Goals WEAI Methodology
Generate economic and social The questions in the intra-
gains to both men and women household survey provide
and their families opportunities for establishing
Overcome gender-based dimensions in which women
barriers that constrain dairy and men are disempowered
productivity and market Each dimension has a number
participation of measurable indicators that
Promote equality of enable us to identify what
aspects of the dimension
opportunity according to
contribute to empowerment
gender differences and needs Figure 1: The WEAI Methodology
or disempowerment
Increase the effective concept (Derived from the Women’s
Empowerment in Agriculture Index
participation of both men and
Brochure; IFPRI 2012)
women in project activities ILRI team and partners have just
completed the training on WEAI
The (EADD) Gender Strategy methodology and will be able to
Implementation compute the WEAI of women
EADD has been addressing the gender gaps in the project systematically by beneficiaries of EADD as well as the
building the capacity of staff to integrate gender in the program and ensuring Gender Parity in empowerment in
equitable gender representation in farmer capacity building. male headed households.
The ILRI Poverty Gender and Innovations (PGI) team of the
Markets, Gender and Livelihoods theme is grateful for the
support provided by the Ford Foundation for funding this
study.