Market systems development is increasingly recognized as a sustainable method for supporting the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and stimulating more balanced economic growth. CARE Palestine’s Souqona project works throughout the northern West Bank to better connect men and women Palestinian farmers with vegetable, dairy, and seed value chains.
What changed?
- Improved self-confidence and aspirations for women farmers: 63% of participating women increased their self-confidence and position in the family, due to the increased choice in their economic activities.
- Women are making more business decisions: In 51% of cases, decisions around market channels used to sell products are jointly made. This is a change from the baseline where husbands were the sole decision-makers in 99% of cases.
- Women have more control over their workload: At the baseline, 96% of the households stated that men decided the working hours on the farm (for themselves and the women), now 12% of households say that the women decide for themselves, while 67% decide collectively.
- Women have more control over household income: Overall, the project participants reported an increase of 1,629 USD in agricultural production per household in 2019 through improved agricultural practices and access to diverse market channels. This increase in income was accompanied by an increase in women’s control over their income and an increase in women spending income for personal objectives.
How did it happen?
- Giving freedom of choice to develop different livelihoods: We cannot expect all women to want to follow the same economic pathways. Programming to support women selling raw milk instead of the more time-consuming cheese and dairy products was designed to help women identify viable economic options. Souqona left the freedom to sell raw milk or cheese/dairy products at the farmer’s level, while improving both economic pathways. For one woman, this freedom of choice in her economic pathway has also enhanced her ideas of self, purpose and confidence in the household.
- Training and skills-building: Traditionally there has been a great lack of recognition of female expertise and support for female trainers. Souqona aimed to improve this by working in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and ensuring that specific workshops and events were designed aimed at the female farmers. These events successfully led to the uptake of new techniques among the women as well as the changes in perceptions of women’s knowledge and capabilities among stakeholders reached.
- Engaging men and boys: In this project, activities not only focused on women’s empowerment but provided opportunities for men to engage with new insights and definitions around identity, “being men”, being a farmer, and supporting change in existing patterns, perceptions and power relations.
Want to learn more?
Read the evaluation.