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Workforce Development

This cross-cutting approach aims to:

  • Evaluate effects of different practices, technologies, and systems on gender, youth, and other marginalized groups.
  • Evaluate opportunities and barriers for engagement of women, youth, and other marginalized groups in food systems.
  • Develop and evaluate strategies that create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and entrepreneurship along value chains in food systems.

This cross-cutting approach will advance the systematic review and evaluation of the impact of workforce development initiatives in building sustainable food systems. Definitions of workforce development are fluid and vary by time and context. Gender is a complex and multi-dimensional concept that includes diversity of gender identities, cultures, norms and relationships. Understanding gender and social inclusion is critical to achieving desired development outcomes of increased production, improved outcomes for poverty alleviation, and a fairer distribution of burdens and benefits in food systems among women and men, regardless of their social differences.

The workforce development team will work with all thematic leaders, faculty, researchers and students to research and evaluate the effects of different practices, technologies, and systems on gender and youth and other marginalized groups. It will also evaluate opportunities and barriers for engagement of women, youth, and other marginalized groups in food systems, and develop strategies that create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and entrepreneurship along value chains in terrestrial and aquatic food systems.

The following areas will be the foci of this CCA:

  • Understanding social factors of barriers and opportunities to food security.
  • Identifying strategies and practices to overcome constraints to technology adoption by women, youth and marginalized populations.
  • Identifying transformative approaches to improve inclusion and equity in food systems.
  • Developing or identifying pathways to engaging men and boys in improving household food security and nutrition.
  • Comparing and learning from the application of gender tools (e.g., pro-WEAI, WELI) in value chains, and contributing to gender indicators.

The team will also guide and support GFSI faculty and researchers in mainstreaming workforce development considerations in the research design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL).

Recent Publications

  • Brennan, M., Dolan, P., & Odera, E. (2022). Of Regiments and Radicals: The critical need for empowering youth as radical agents of change. Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, Special Issue: Placing Youth at the Forefront of Active Citizenship for Social Justice, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/17461979221103775
  • Odera, E., Davis, J., Brennan, M., & Dolan, P. (2022). Understanding paths and options for youth citizenship and social justice. education, Citizenship and Social Justice, Special Issue: Placing Youth at the Forefront of Active Citizenship for Social Justice, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/17461979221077983
  • Odera, E. (2021). Capturing the added value of participatory evaluation. The American Journal of Evaluation, 42(2), 201-220. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098214020910265 

GFSI Leads for the Workforce Development cross-cutting approach are Erica Odera and Nelly Nelson