Supporting women smallholders involved in small-scale chicken production

Publication date: 06-10-2025
Extent: 22 pages

Contributions by: Brigitte Bagnol, Tufts University, USA; Catherine Kaluwa, Jemimah Oduma, Tevin Konde, Angela Opondoh and Diana Muta, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya; Meghan Stanley, Marieke Rosenbaum and Hellen Amuguni, Tufts University, USA; and Robyn Alders, Tufts University, USA and Australian National University, Australia

Chapter synopsis:

By the end of the 1990s research had clearly established that women had a good control over the benefit resulting from small-scale chicken use and sale. This paper analyses the differences between gender-blind and gender-aware approaches in dealing with small-scale chicken production. Three case studies are evaluated. Two are gender aware and aimed at supporting women’s chicken raising endeavour through the control of Newcastle disease in Africa: One is gender-accommodating and the other is gender transformative. The third case study is gender-blind and examines the impact of the 2003-6 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreak in Asia. While promoting women’s participation in animal health and livestock raising activities can contribute to gender awareness and improve gender dynamics in the sector, the gender-blind intervention during the HPAI outbreak negatively impacted female farmers raising small-scale chickens. The authors highlight the importance on using gender-transformative approaches in initiatives that target livestock production systems.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2024.0148.35