Invitation for the coaching track on gender in value chains
Are you a development value chain practitioner interested in integrating a gender perspective in your work? Are you a gender specialist interested in working on gender sensitive value chain development? Is your organization planning a concrete gender sensitive value chain intervention? Do you need coaching in realization of this plan?
If so, read below about the coaching track on gender and value chains organized by Agri-hub Ethiopia. This might be just what you and your organization are looking for.
Introduction
Agri-Hub Ethiopia organized the first event in 2012 about gender in value chains. The workshop on 7 Feb in Kaleb hotel Addis was attended by 38 people (20 women, 18 men) from universities, business service providers, NGOs and producer organizations. This large number of participants shows that there is a clear interest for this topic in Ethiopia. Participants mentioned ‘we work in value chains and we really want to address gender, but we do not now how to’. By providing practical tools this workshop addressed a felt need. Participants also realized that this one-day workshop was not enough. Read more on this event
To make value chains also work for women, the Agri-hub Ethiopia will soon start a coaching track for practitioners working in value chains. This coaching track will provide on-the-job-assistance to max. 10 organizations.
Objectives of the coaching track
The objective of this coaching track is to build the capacity of organizations to make their value chain interventions gender sensitive. The coaching track will build the capacity of staff through active experimentation with a real life case from their work.
The coaching track will result in 10 case experiences with improved gender sensitive value chain interventions. Each case experience is documented, discussed and validated among the group of participants at country level. A synthesis of cross country experiences is made accessible for a wider audience in an Agri-ProFocus publication.
Target group
Which organizations qualify for the coaching track: Organizations with ongoing work in VCD and concrete plans to work on a particular value chain gender sensitive.
Who can participate: We invite 2 practitioners per organization, preferably one gender specialist and one value chain specialist.
Services provided
Participating organizations will benefit from:
- 4 days of coaching by a senior gender specialist and/or a senior value chain specialist
- A toolkit with instruments which can be used in different phases of the project cycle of a gender sensitive value chain development intervention (selecting a VC, analysis of a VC, strategizing, implementing an upgrading strategy and measuring results).
- Learning from other organizations through:
- Peer assists or exchange visits (to other organizations in the coaching track with a similar case)
- Literature (via access to a bibliography of relevant studies)
- On-line exchange with peers working on GVC in East-Africa
- Joint sessions allowing for training and exchange of experience
- Assistance in documentation of experiences contributing to a more in-depth learning.
A senior Dutch gender & value chain development specialist (Angelica Senders from Fair and Sustainable Advisory Services) based in The Netherlands will provide support to the track.
Contribution of the participating organization
- Commitment to participate in the whole coaching track and actively learn by doing.
- Assign staff (ideally 2 staff: one gender specialist and one value chain specialist) for the trajectory and allow them to invest time in learning by doing based on a real life case.
- Costs involved in travel and accommodation to Addis for workshops and other meetings
- We ask a minimal fee of $500,- as contribution to the costs while we are looking for additional subsidies.
The commitment of the participating organizations will be confirmed by means of a written agreement.
Ownership and management
The participating organization is at the steering wheel of the coaching trajectory. Together with the consultant(s) the organization will formulate the objectives of the trajectory; what will be the end result at the level of farmers (men and women), what problems will have been overcome, which results achieved?
Based on these objectives coaching questions will be formulated and an action plan made. It is the responsibility of the organization to manage 4 days of coaching time offered. The pace and direction of the trajectory will be thus be determined by the organization.
Additional costs resulting from the process (e.g. for a consultant to provide a specific advice or for specific activities in the context of the case-project) will have to be covered by the organization.
How to apply?
- How to apply?
10 organizations can participate in this coaching track. Please find a format for you application letter in appendix. We would like to receive your application at the latest on March 1.
More information needed?
If you would like to discuss your possible participation in this coaching track, please contact Wikke Tuinhout at Agri-Hub Ethiopia coordination ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) or Wim Goris at Agri-ProFocus ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ).
- We are looking forward to an exciting action-learning experience.