Figure 4-12 – Gender and social inclusion considerations

Figure 4-12 – Gender and social inclusion considerations

Diagnostic

Most large scale farms are controlled by men. Youth and women are actively involved in fruits production, harvest and post-harvest in Kenya (women mainly focusing on plant and care for the crop). Yet, their work is often invisible and unpaid as it is considered family work. In many cases, harvesting is done by the buyers. Some PWD engage in farming, and, in some cases, they hire employees to work in their farms. SIGs oftern lack access to credit and agricultural information, and are not involved in decision-making processes (e.g. cooperatives and associations). Middlemen often take advantage. There are several issues accessing land due to cultural traditions associated to the inheritance of the ancestral land.

Fruit Bottling Value Chain

Production & Harvesting

Regarding the transport link of this VC, Young men dominate the transport sector in Wote as boda voda riders (motorcycle taxis) and with donkey carts. Women in small-scale production harvest and hire the services of the youth to transport the fruits to the market. Transportation for large-scale production is done with trucks, the responsibility of transport is usually under the buyers.

Transport

Social Inclusion Considerations

Facilitate access to credit or link SIGS with existing funds. Encourage SIGs to engage in table banking and their participation in existent agricultural associations. Ensure everyone has access to training on farming techniques, storage facilities and irrigation. Prioritise the use of peer educators for trainings (e.g. young educators for youth), target women and men directly in training communications, and cosinder timings, locations and materials that are compatible with SIGs’ needs and everyday activities. Implement an inclusive communication strategy to support farmers, and target SIGs to access market information. Accompany these measures with specific awareness sessions targeted at women and men (parents, spouses) to avoid negative consequences within the household.

Source: SUED Atkins Team

The scheduled collection services represent new job opportunities, particularly for young men who already work in the transportation sector. Develop training on safety and on how to adequately handle produce and weights. Consider developing a certification system for transport operators. If the collection services are to be booked online, liaise with local organisations to reduce the digital gap to make these opportunities accessible to groups without mobile phones or digital skills. Women are mainly in charge of processing fruits (especially processing fresh juice for market days), yet they often face several challenges when engaging in economic activity. They also lack a ordable & adequate equipment. Industrial processing represents additional employment opportunities for SIGs, including for back-o ce and maintenance jobs. The main barriers to inclusion are related to inadequate infrastructure and equipment, and lack of knowledge, skills and training. The sale of fruits at a small-scale and derived products is often in charge of women and other SIGs. This is done often by the roadside and other smaller centres in Makueni. This link in the value chain o ers a flexible schedule, compatible with other responsibilities and activities. Several barriers for SIGs inclusion related to mobility restrictions (physical impairments or cultural norms) lack of social capital and lack of soft skills. This is worsened by low literacy levels and financial literacy. PWD also face constraints to participate in markets since the infrastructure is often inadequate for their needs.

Processing Sales

Provide labor-e cient and a ordable infrastructure and technologies that are accessible to all. Ensure workplaces adopt principles of universal design and respect quotas for PWDs’ inclusion. Provide mothers’ rooms at processing factories, childcare arrangements, or link women to community day-care facilities. Tackle discrimination and harmful social norms through awareness campaigns at a community and regional level that include SIGs, and their parents, spouses and/or caregivers. Develop inclusive financing options for SIGs and low-income groups and link SIGs with exisent funds. Draw on existent know-how and stakeholders to develop trainings. Provide accessible and inclusive infrastructure and services (i.e. marketplaces/road/transport etc.) O er trainings on soft skills that are available and accessible to SIGs, people with low literacy levels and other vulnerable groups. Develop inclusive financing options for SIGs and low-income groups. Promote SIGs and their participation in existing cooperatives. Develop sensitisation sessions that could progressively contribute to integrating SIGs into leadership positions. Encourage the use of digital markets and mobile banking. Provide support for, and accessible information about, acquiring business certificates.

Case Study 4-13: Promoting inclusion of people with disabilities in cocoa, coffee and palm oil VCs in Tanzania31

The project, currently under implementation, aims at: a) providing PWDs with sustainable livelihood opportunities, b) improving PWDs’ access to markets, and c) generating awareness about the importance of PWDs’ inclusion at the community level.

The involvement of PWDs starts in the production stage, engaging PWDs and disability organisations. For the processing of raw materials, PWDs work with equipment that is accessible. For marketing and trading, PWDs and PWoDs (people without disability) are organised as economic groups. The programme trains PWDs in soft skills such as leadership, entrepreneurship and business skills. It also links them to providers of financial and business development services, and existing government programmes.

Sensitisation campaigns, guided by Behavioural Change Communication (BCC) strategy, were developed to overcome the preconception that PWDs cannot successfully engage in agriculture and livestock, targeting the general public and PWDs themselves. Moreover, the project implemented awareness campaigns to develop solidarity among PWDs. Finally, the programme also learned that local knowledge is key to developing successful inclusion measures, for example, sign language might not be used in rural areas, but family members can act as interpreters. Case Study 4-14: Successful stories of women’s empowerment in Makueni County32

A recent local article has highlighted the successful experience of Lillian Kimanthi's fruit farm in Makueni County. Kimanthi, a 38-year-old woman ventured into the oranges’ agribusiness more than 10 years ago. After attending an agriculture seminar, she realised that the area she was working on was perfect for growing oranges and started with a few trees. When her family saw the benefits, they planted more.

Now, she became a well-known referent in the area and began educating other women about the opportunities of engaging in oranges’ production, involving them in the whole farming process from planting to maturity, harvesting and marketing. She now expanded to other citrus fruits. In this article, Kimanthi said: "during my continuous research, I had always wanted to plant oranges for the export market, [especially the variety] that has the highest value. I knew, through teaching other women how to grow these and giving them the seedlings, that I would be empowering a generation”.

Kimanthi also explains that while growing fruit trees can take up to 15 years, there are improved varieties of seedlings that can reduce that time to 3 years. The article said Kimanthi’s experience has also incentivised women in Makueni County to ditch unprofitable crops and now around 15 women in the County engage in this activity. The article also said men are becoming more interested in supporting their wives in this activity since they see it as a profitable business. This case study illustrates the importance of improving access to information and developing trainings and skill development opportunities that are available and accessible to women. Women are often not targeted in these initiatives because, due to social norms, their work is often invisible and unpaid. However, this type of initiatives should be always complemented with awareness sessions to tackle gender inequality, and with access to irrigation services and other key infrastructure/technologies.

31 Trade Craft, Disability inclusion in mainstream value chains (2018). Available at: https:// traidcraftexchange.org/project-disability-inclusion, (Accessed: 28/02/2022). 32 ChinaAfrica, Female orange farmers in Kenya empower themselves by growing profitable fruit (2020). Available at: http://www.chinafrica.cn/Homepage/202011/t20201105_800225950. html, (Accessed: 28/02/2022).

4.3.4 Climate Resilient Infrastructure Projects

4.3.4.1. Project 5: Industrial Access Road Upgrade: Road Upgrade and Junction Improvements

Project Overview

Makueni Fruit Processing Plant (MFPP) is located along Emali – Ukia road (B107/ C99), and about 1km south of the Kalamba market centre within Wote Municipality. The plant is served by two access roads: one main access road that links the plant to B107 road and a rural feeder road that extends into the surrounding farmlands (Figure 4-13).

The main access road is 1km long, gravelled with a right of way (ROW) of 12m while the rural feeder road has a ROW of 6m, measures 1.2km and is earth surfaced. The unpaved surface condition on these roads, creates access challenges particularly in during the rainy periods when the surfaces become muddy and heavy goods vehicles (HGV) have difficultly accessing the site. The poor road condition also affects the quality of produce resulting in high post-harvest losses. Fruits are easily bruised on the rough roads exposing them to biological degradation which causes reduced shelve life and increased post-harvest losses.

Further, the main industrial road access lacks NMT provisions although the width is sufficient to cater for pedestrian flows and cycle use especially for factory workers and visitors to the plant. This causes significant health and safety concerns to pedestrians that share the road with the heavy goods vehicles. Besides the poor road condition and lack of NMT, the roads have two junctions at the intersection with B107/ C99 and with the two access roads that have poor visibility and low turning radius for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV). During fruit harvesting period, the plant experiences high volumes of HGVs and the county has proposed a truck parking facility roughly 400m from MFPP as shown in Figure 4-13.

To ensure seamless movement in and out of the plant, the parking facility will need to be well linked to the access road and plant through good roads and a fleet management system should be considered to coordinate the despatch of vehicles loading and offloading at the plant.

In sum, a total of 2.2km stretch of road which comprises of 1km road upgrade to bitumen and 1.2km of low volume sealed road should be developed to support access to the industry. These should be paired with development of NMT facilities, storm water drains and junction improvements to allow for turning of HGVS.