Valerie Nelson

Uncertain predictions, invisible impacts, and the need to mainstream gender in climate change adaptations

Vulnerability to environmental degradation and natural hazards is articulated along social, poverty, and gender lines. Just as gender is not sufficiently mainstreamed in many areas of development policy and practice, so the potential impacts of climate change on gender relations have not been studied, and remain invisible. In this article we outline climate change predictions, and explore the effects of long-term climate change on agriculture, ecological systems, and gender relations, since these could be significant. We identify predicted changes in natural hazard frequency and intensity as a result of climate change, and explore the gendered effects of natural hazards. We highlight the urgent need to integrate gender analyses into public policy-making, and in adaptation responses to climate change.

Resilience, power, culture, and climate: a case study from semi-arid Tanzania, and new research directions.

Rapid changes to the climate are predicted over the next few years, and these present challenges for womens empowerment and gender equality on a completely new scale. There is little evidence or research to provide a reliable basis for gender-sensitive approaches to agricultural adaptation to climate change. This article explores the gender dimensions of climate change, in relation to participation in decision-making, divisions of labour, access to resources, and knowledge systems. It draws on insights from recent research on agricultural adaptation to climate change in Tanzania. The article then explains why future gender-sensitive climate-adaptation efforts should draw upon insights from ‘resilience thinking’, ‘political ecology’, and environmental anthropology – as a way of embedding analysis of power struggles and cultural norms in the context of the overall socio-ecological system.

Exploring Development Futures in a Changing Climate: Frontiers for Development Policy and Practice

Climate change poses the most significant foreseeable threat to the development of humankind. Among the parts of the globe liable to be affected, the developing world is the most vulnerable to climate risks. Introducing a DPR theme issue on how development policy is responding to the increasingly pressured global climate agenda, this article reviews what is being done and still needs to be done, paying particular attention to action on three policy frontiers: (i) adaptation actions and finance, (ii) mitigation policies and their governance, and (iii) the implications for development planning. It addresses what will be needed for the development community to rise to the challenge in the run-up to the Copenhagen conference in 2009 and beyond.

Fair trade narratives and political dynamics

Purpose – The recent departure of Fair Trade USA (FTUSA) from Fairtrade International is the most seismic event in the fair trade movement in the past decade. This paper aims to analyse recent dynamics between and within multiple fair trade strands and the attendant changes in vision and approach.Design/methodology/approach – The authors use and develop a framework focusing on the relationship between business and development to analyse the dominant narratives and practices of each different strand of fair trade. To unpack the various fair trade narratives, they have conducted a narrative analysis of policy documents and online debates in the wake of the split in the fair trade movement and they draw on recent impact studies.Findings – The politicising narrative in fair trade stresses governance and voice based on clear structures of representation within the standards body, and recognizes the value of development inputs that do not focus solely on technical and quality development, but lead to organisati...

The impact of Fairtrade: Evidence, shaping factors, and future pathways

What is the evidence base for the impact of Fairtrade and how and why is the impact agenda evolving? We explore issues of design and the use of theories of change in mapping impact pathways as part of evaluations. We outline some of the findings on the different dimensions of impact (e.g. household income, livelihoods and quality of life, organizational, wider community and economy impacts), as well as environmental, empowerment, and gender impacts. This analysis draws upon a meta-review which analysed studies available in 2009 and also on more recently published studies. Finally, we identify the five key factors shaping the impact of Fairtrade and the implications for the impact assessment agenda.

Exploring issues of rigour and utility in Fairtrade impact assessment

This article explores the evolution of Fairtrade impact assessment, which reflects the wider context of international development evaluation practice and debates. Appropriate designs and methods in evaluation are hotly contested, ultimately reflecting different development philosophies and values. Earlier Fairtrade impact studies were primarily case studies involving qualitative methods. As Fairtrade has grown and scrutiny from different stakeholders has increased, there has been increased demand for more rigour and criticism of studies that do not include a ‘credible’ counterfactual. More recently, there have been increasing numbers of impact evaluation studies using mixed designs as well as mixed methods. But challenges remain as to how to balance utility and rigour in Fairtrade impact assessment, because there are trade-offs in terms of skill and resource requirements and in relation to ethical issues. Yet all sustainability standards are being asked to both demonstrate impact and to inform impact. Ach...

Practical lessons on scaling up smallholder-inclusive and sustainable cassava value chains in Africa

Developing more inclusive and sustainable agricultural value chains at scale is a development priority. The ‘Cassava: Adding Value for Africa’ project has supported the development of value chains for high quality cassava flour (HQCF) in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, and Malawi to improve the incomes and livelihoods of smallholder households, including women. The project focused on three key interventions: 1) ensuring a consistent supply of raw materials; 2) developing viable intermediaries as secondary processors or bulking agents; and 3) driving market demand. Scaling-up experiences are presented, guided by an analysis of drivers (ideas/models, vision and leadership, incentives and accountability), the enabling context (institutions, infrastructure, technology, financial, policy and regulations, partnerships and leverage, social context, environment), and the monitoring, evaluation, and learning process. Lessons for scaling up of similar value chain interventions are presented. These highlight the tension between rapid development of value chains and achieving equity and sustainability goals; the need for holistic approaches to capacity strengthening of diverse value chain actors; the role of strengthening equitable business relationships and networks as a vital element of scaling processes; and how informed engagement with government policy and regulatory issues is key, but often challenging given conflicting pressures on policymakers. The scaling process should be market-led, but the level and type of public sector and civil society investment needs careful consideration by donors, governments, and others, in particular less visible investments in fostering relationships and trust. Addressing uncertainties around smallholder-inclusive value chain development requires adaptive management and facilitation of the scaling process.

Guest editorial: Fairtrade impacts

February 2014 WELCOME TO A SPECIAL ISSUE exploring the effectiveness and impacts of fair trade in practice. The papers here seek to advance the debate on this vibrant topic by drawing on detailed fieldwork, and providing an overview of Fairtrade impact assessment and the issues thrown up by the evidence agenda. These articles come with an exciting Crossfire debate. The fair trade movement combines the efforts of many different organizations with a shared aim of achieving more equitable trading partnerships between disadvantaged producers and mostly Western consumers. This special issue focuses on one strand of this movement commonly known as ‘Fairtrade’ – the product certification system operated by Fairtrade International. Fairtrade, and other voluntary sustainability standards, have expanded rapidly in recent years, particularly in certain products such as tea and cocoa, but they are still relatively minor in relation to overall conventional trade in many products. Fairtrade is a pioneer among the voluntary sustainability standards and with a consumer label and particularly high visibility in certain markets, it has unsurprisingly attracted more attention than other market-based mechanisms, including other voluntary sustainability standards (although this is beginning to change). This collection of papers emerges at a critical juncture for Fairtrade. With its expansion and the increased attention given to effectiveness and impact of all kinds of interventions in international development, there is increased questioning of its impact and relevance in many quarters. The case studies and overview paper in this issue draw on detailed empirical studies of Fairtrade around the world and practical experience of conducting impact studies. The authors cast a critical eye over the key factors and processes in each place which influence the implementation and uptake of Fairtrade by producer organizations and companies, and the eventual outcomes. The overview raises questions about how best to understand the outcomes and impacts of Fairtrade in a way which minimizes bias and supports rigour, but which also pays attention to utility and learning. Taken collectively, these papers ask pertinent questions about the efficacy of Fairtrade and offer practical suggestions as to how improvements might be achieved. The Crossfire debate sets the scene nicely with a robust debate on the question ‘Does Fairtrade have more impact than conventional trade or trade certified by other sustainability standards?’ Matthew Anderson argues that despite some limitations, Fairtrade is a unique tool for promoting development and empowerment of marginalized rural communities in the South. Philip Booth and Sushil Mohan counter that while Fairtrade is a welcome addition to markets because it opens up alternative trade channels which meet the needs of some producers, it will never reach the very poorest farmers, it will remain a niche market, and it is not tackling market Guest editorial: Fairtrade impacts VAlerIe NelSoN

Uptake of Climate-Smart Agriculture Through a Gendered Intersectionality Lens: Experiences from Western Kenya

This study conducted in western Kenya demonstrates how a gendered intersectionality lens can be used to explore how and the extent to which farming communities are coping with climate change. Results from a quantitative survey undertaken with 51 farmers and from 4 focused group discussions held with 33 farmers (19 males and 14 females) indicate that 85% of the respondents are willing to adopt climate-smart agriculture (CSA) interventions if constraining factors are resolved.This study reveals that farmers, regardless of whether they are male or female, are willing to adopt climate smart technologies and practices. However, factors such as ethnicity, education, age and marital status determine the levels of uptake of CSA technologies and practices. Looking at crops for instance, we find a high uptake (62.7%) of improved high yielding varieties (HYVs) amongst farmers with primary level education, meaning literacy levels influence adoption of practices. Analysis using age as a lens reveals that there is a high uptake among the youth and adults. Interestingly, the study site comprises of both the Luo and Kalenjin ethnic communities and even though they neighbor each other, we find a high rate of uptake among the Luo community due to existing social and cultural norms and practices related to farming. In conclusion, using a gendered intersectionality lens strengthens the argument for targeted interventions which focus on local needs and priorities while recognizing local contexts as informed by social, cultural and economic factors.

Fairtrade Impacts: Lessons from around the world

Fairtrade goods are claimed to empower producers, and promote sustainable livelihoods, and it is these claims that attract consumers who willingly pay a premium for the sake of the benefits that they expect will be experienced by smallholders in developing countries. But what is the evidence for these improved impacts? How are these benefits measured, and what would be realistic expectations of the degree to which Fairtrade and other sustainability standards can tackle rural poverty in developing countries? Does Fairtrade exclude some groups or geographical regions? Do we know that benefits to smallholders reach their hired labourers? How can Fairtrade and other sustainability standards learn from empirical impact studies to reflect upon their theories of change and improve their impact? Exploring the impacts of Fairtrade presents a series of rich, detailed case studies from the field distilling insights and lessons about the contribution of Fairtrade and sustainability standards to different social groups in particular geographies. The book seeks to contribute to the lively debate on the impact of such schemes by showing the diverse outcomes and impacts that such schemes have as they are adopted or implemented in different geographical production and value chain contexts around the world. The different cases show the many limitations of such schemes, but also discuss potential strategies for improvement. This book is essential reading for all those interested in value chain development, fair and ethical trade, and sustainability standards, including researchers, students, policy makers, companies and those working for development agencies.