responsibility of smallholders through such actions would require coordinated
efforts between industrial crop companies (e.g. buyers from smallholders), other
private sector players (e.g. certification schemes), government agencies and civil
society.
Enhancing farm output while avoiding negative environmental impacts as
discussed above can have positive effects to multiple SDGs, such as SDG12
(responsible consumption and production), SDG15 (life on land), SDG6 (clean
water and sanitation) and of course SDG2 (zero hunger).
Regarding the third priority domain, clearly it is not justifiable to prevent females
from engaging in industrial crop value chains on grounds of safeguarding their
crucial role in unpaid care work. However, we should also be aware of the almost
complete lack of social services in rural SSA (ILO 2018) (Chap. 1 Vol. 1). Thus, it
would be important to identify avenues to enhance female participation in industrial
crop value chains as a means of accessing income/employment opportunities and
achieving broader female empowerment benefits, while at the same time reducing
the negative effects of time diversion from unpaid household care work.
Large-scale plantations can develop (or contribute to the development of) infrastructure that compensates for this loss of unpaid care work (e.g. schools with
feeding programmes), where female employees can have priority access. Furthermore, flexible working arrangements and standardized salaries for seasonal and parttime employees can further ensure both that female workers are not discriminated
and that food utilization trade-offs are minimized. A very interesting approach
specific to bioenergy crops would be to provide (or support the acquisition of)
improved stoves and fuel such as ethanol stoves and fuel (Chap. 2 Vol. 1). This
could reduce time diversion to fuelwood collection and cooking, which is substantial
in most parts of rural SSA and takes a toll on females and girls (Karanja et al. 2020;
Köhlin et al. 2011).
However, it might not be as straightforward to enable the aforementioned gender
inclusion interventions in smallholder settings. Possible avenues could be to
valourize further female participation in industrial crop production by offering
higher premiums from certification schemes (Parvathi 2017). Supporting the development of female grower associations or increasing the decision-making power of
female growers in mixed-grower associations could further improve female negotiating and decision-making power. This could help maximize the gender empowerment benefits of engagement in smallholder-based industrial crop production.
Furthermore, government agencies, civil society organizations and the private sector
should increase the number (and improve the quality) of training activities geared
towards female industrial crop growers. Apart from offering important knowledge
for enhancing industrial crop production (see above), such training should further
educate women about the possible negative trade-offs of their involvement in
industrial crop value chains. However, even though such interventions could possibly enhance the benefits that women receive from engagement in industrial crop
production, they can have a less direct effect to food security.
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M. P. Jarzebski et al.
efforts between industrial crop companies (e.g. buyers from smallholders), other
private sector players (e.g. certification schemes), government agencies and civil
society.
Enhancing farm output while avoiding negative environmental impacts as
discussed above can have positive effects to multiple SDGs, such as SDG12
(responsible consumption and production), SDG15 (life on land), SDG6 (clean
water and sanitation) and of course SDG2 (zero hunger).
Regarding the third priority domain, clearly it is not justifiable to prevent females
from engaging in industrial crop value chains on grounds of safeguarding their
crucial role in unpaid care work. However, we should also be aware of the almost
complete lack of social services in rural SSA (ILO 2018) (Chap. 1 Vol. 1). Thus, it
would be important to identify avenues to enhance female participation in industrial
crop value chains as a means of accessing income/employment opportunities and
achieving broader female empowerment benefits, while at the same time reducing
the negative effects of time diversion from unpaid household care work.
Large-scale plantations can develop (or contribute to the development of) infrastructure that compensates for this loss of unpaid care work (e.g. schools with
feeding programmes), where female employees can have priority access. Furthermore, flexible working arrangements and standardized salaries for seasonal and parttime employees can further ensure both that female workers are not discriminated
and that food utilization trade-offs are minimized. A very interesting approach
specific to bioenergy crops would be to provide (or support the acquisition of)
improved stoves and fuel such as ethanol stoves and fuel (Chap. 2 Vol. 1). This
could reduce time diversion to fuelwood collection and cooking, which is substantial
in most parts of rural SSA and takes a toll on females and girls (Karanja et al. 2020;
Köhlin et al. 2011).
However, it might not be as straightforward to enable the aforementioned gender
inclusion interventions in smallholder settings. Possible avenues could be to
valourize further female participation in industrial crop production by offering
higher premiums from certification schemes (Parvathi 2017). Supporting the development of female grower associations or increasing the decision-making power of
female growers in mixed-grower associations could further improve female negotiating and decision-making power. This could help maximize the gender empowerment benefits of engagement in smallholder-based industrial crop production.
Furthermore, government agencies, civil society organizations and the private sector
should increase the number (and improve the quality) of training activities geared
towards female industrial crop growers. Apart from offering important knowledge
for enhancing industrial crop production (see above), such training should further
educate women about the possible negative trade-offs of their involvement in
industrial crop value chains. However, even though such interventions could possibly enhance the benefits that women receive from engagement in industrial crop
production, they can have a less direct effect to food security.
124
M. P. Jarzebski et al.