Rapò sou Enklizyon Sèks ak Jèn nan PARE

Photo Credit: AGIRED, 2023 FEED THE FUTURE PROGRAMME D’APPUI A LA RENTABILISATION DE L’ELEVAGE Gender and Youth Inclusion Analysis Date: November 27, 2023 Disclaimer: This study is made possible through support provided by Feed the Future through the U.S. Agency for International Development, under the terms of Contract No. 72052123C00001. The contents of this study are the sole responsibility of Land O’Lakes Venture37 and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. CONTENTS I. Executive Summary.................................................................................................................................................. 4 1.1 Summary of Findings...................................................................................................................................... 4 II. Introduction............................................................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Project Background......................................................................................................................................... 7 2.3 Gender and Youth Inclusion Analysis Purpose.................................................................................. 9 III. GYI Analysis Methodology ...................................................................................................................................10 3.1 Sampling Design..............................................................................................................................................10 3.2 Data Collection Tools ..................................................................................................................................11 3.3 Data Collection Fieldwork.........................................................................................................................11 3.4 Challenges in Data Collection..................................................................................................................11 IV. Findings.................................................................................................................................................................13 4.0 Gender and Youth Sample Distribution.............................................................................................13 4.1. Participation in Different Livestock Value Chains........................................................................17 4.2 Herd Composition .........................................................................................................................................25 4.3 Management Practices ................................................................................................................................27 4.4 Yield, Sales & Marketing.............................................................................................................................33 4.5 Education, Training and Access to Information..............................................................................38 4.6 Access to Financial Resources..................................................................................................................44 4.7 Productive Resources...................................................................................................................................49 4.8 Household Resilience....................................................................................................................................52 4.9 Women’s Empowerment...........................................................................................................................55 V. Conclusion & Recommendations........................................................................................................................57 5.1 Conclusions........................................................................................................................................................57 5.2 Recommendations .........................................................................................................................................58 PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 2 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ARSSI Ability to Recover from Shocks and Stressors Index ATR Ability to Recover Index A-WEAI The Abbreviated Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index EGAD Economic Growth and Agriculture Development FAMV La Faculté d’Agronomie et de Médecine Vétérinaire FGD Focus Group Discussion FTF Feed the Future GBV Gender-Based Violence GYI Gender and Youth Inclusion Heifer Heifer International ILO International Labor Organization KII Key Informant Interview LMSRA Livestock Market Systems Resilience Assessment LMSRS Livestock Market Systems Resilience Strategy MARDNR Ministère de l’Agriculture des Ressources Naturelles et du Développement Rural MEL Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning MIF Market Ignition Fund MSR Market Systems Resilience MSME Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises MUSO Mutuelles de Solidarité Papyrus Papyrus S.A. PARE Programme d’Appui à la Rentabilisation de l’Elevage PMELP Project Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan RFZ Resilience Focus Zones SDE Section d’Enumération (Enumeration Areas) SEI Shock Exposure Index USAID United States Agency for International Development Venture37 Land O’Lakes Venture37 VSLA Village Savings and Loan Association WEAI Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 3 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Land O’Lakes Venture37 (Venture37) conducted a Gender and Youth Inclusion (GYI) Analysis for the five-year Programme d’Appui a la Rentabilisation de l’Elevage (PARE) project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). PARE focuses on enhancing household and community resilience in Haiti's Northern and Southern Resilience Focus Zones (RFZs) by bolstering the livestock market system, particularly within the cattle, goat/sheep, and poultry value chains. The GYI Analysis was conducted by the PARE Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) team in partnership with AGIRED, a Haitian evaluation and data collection firm. This study utilized data from the PARE Baseline Assessment, a mixed-method approach that collected sex-disaggregated quantitative data from a representative sample of livestock producer households in the Northern and Southern RFZs through a Producer Household Survey, as well as qualitative data from male, female and youth producers, community leaders and other stakeholders. The purpose of the GYI Analysis is to document the current status, constraints and opportunities for male, female, and youth livestock producers and their communities in the Northern and Southern RFZs. The GYI Analysis, in cooperation with the PARE Baseline Assessment and the simultaneous Livestock Market Systems Resilience Analysis (LMSRA) study will inform a Gender and Youth Action Plan that will ensure equal participation and outcomes in PARE for women and youth. A summary of findings and subsequent recommendations are below. 1.1 Summary of Findings Participation in different livestock value chains There is a large minority of joint management between men and women. Women are less likely to manage cattle and are most involved in the management of poultry. Women are also involved in goat/sheep. Women do not necessarily view gendered distribution of livestock as inequality, despite the higher value that cattle bring compared to poultry and goats/sheep, but rather as traditional. Overall, youth are less likely to be involved in livestock production than adults, across all value chains. Goat/sheep and poultry are more feasible for youth in the short term due to finance constraints -- but they could potentially build their way up to cattle. Most ownership seems to come from managing others’ animals and receiving an offspring. Herd/flock composition Households with male-only management tend to have substantially larger herd sizes than those with female-only management within the cattle and goat/sheep value chains. For poultry, however, flock sizes were relatively equal between male and female-only management. Differences in herd/flock size between households with youth-only producers and adult-only managers are less pronounced than with gender. Management practices Male managers generally apply more improved practices than female managers due to mobility constraints, reduced access to training, and reduced access to credit by women. In poultry management, women producers have equal or higher rates of application of improved practices in most areas. The application of management practices is deeply intertwined with social norms dictating traditional gendered roles and responsibilities for women and men. PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 4 Compared to sex, there are few substantial differences between youth and adult management in terms of application of improved practices for cattle, with a few exceptions. Youth producers emphasize again and again that lack of credit and capital was the biggest barrier they face. Yield, Sales & Marketing Men have higher yield than either women or youth due to more offtake as well as their higher rate of keeping improved breeds, as larger animals influence yield. In addition, men sell more quantity of their herds/flock than women. For this reason, men have higher yield than women and adults over youth, aside from poultry, where women are close to achieving parity. Women are highly involved in marketing of livestock, which presents opportunities to further engage them in the livestock sector. Women almost unanimously said they would like to expand their activities in commerce. Many youths view themselves as entrepreneurs and are also interested in exploring activities along the value chain. Livestock training All producers have a low level of formal training in livestock. Women advocated for separate opportunities that meet women where they’re at- in small livestock, in trade and in processing – rather than trying to push them into more male dominated spaces. Youth expressed a need for livestock-specific training that focuses on more modern and technical skills that they can learn to improve their production, and they call for more guidance and supervision. Access to financial resources Accessing credit was overwhelmingly mentioned as the top barrier for youth in strengthening and expanding their livestock activities. Women also cited it as an issue. Both groups have lower access to formal finance than adult men. Financial management and decision-making within smallholder producer households in Haiti is a complex interplay of cultural, social, and economic factors. Men appeared to have more power in decision making, though women control their livestock income. Access to animal health services and products There is little difference in perception of access to animal health workers and veterinary medicine between male and female respondents and youth and adult respondents. At the same time, there is a distinct difference in the rate that men and women apply animal health treatments and diseases, so despite feeling like they have access, women face barriers in utilizing these key services and inputs. Household Resilience Male-headed households are generally better able to recover from shocks and stressors than female headed households. Male-led households have more access to resilience capacities such as savings and diversity of livelihoods. Women’s Empowerment For many women, livestock offers an opportunity for empowerment, as it allows women an important source of income over which they have control of and with which they can build their assets. Many women believe that if the barriers to their participation in the livestock sector were addressed, they could achieve positive outcomes through the production, processing and trading of livestock products. 30% of women achieved adequacy in Baseline Indicator #13: Resource portion of the Abbreviated Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI). PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 5 1.1 RECOMMENDATIONS The comprehensive analysis of gender and youth dynamics within the livestock value chain offers a foundation for targeted recommendations aimed at fostering inclusivity, empowerment, and equitable growth through a market-based approach. Recommendations linked to Objective 1 • Support projects that are working on improved breeds and henhouses (cross with Objective 1.1.1) Leverage women and youth interested in acquiring, breeding and distributing improved breeds, especially in the goat/sheep value chain. Encourage partners to utilize women and youth organizations as centers for this activity. In addition, consider projects that focus on the establishment of henhouses, particularly for youth. • Encourage partners to incorporate women and youth organizations (cross with Objective 1.1.2) Work with partners who will support and strengthen women and youth specific organizations, either for market actors to work with for extension; or to partner with them specifically on providing appropriate services for their members. Utilize these organizations as hubs for training that is separate and tailored to needs of women and youth. • Expand extension services (cross with Objective 1.1.2) Support and strengthen capacity for women and young people through training focusing on livestock management, financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Strengthen extension services to provide tailored technical assistance and extension services to women and youth farmers on topics such as making fodder, how to build enclosures, and animal care training. Through expansion of training and extension, work with partners to support gender and youth sensitive improved practices. For example, instead of trying to change the mobility constraint of women, promote practices that can be done closer to the home. Leverage youth’s eagerness to change to demonstrate improved practices, utilizing them as an eager promoter/voice for change. Recommendations linked to Objective 2 • Support veterinary agent training (cross with Objective 2.3.1 and 2.3.2) Encourage projects that offer pathways for veterinary training and jobs as community animal health workers for both women and youth. Recommendations linked to Objective 3 • Leverage enthusiasm for marketing and entrepreneurship (cross with Objective 3.1.1) Continue to promote women in their roles as traders and provide the support they need for this higher income opportunities. Leverage the interest youth have in entrepreneurship, perhaps through enterprise acceleration. • Expand access to finance (cross with Objective 3.1.3) Develop partnerships with financial institutions to develop gender and youth-responsive credit mechanisms to enhance inclusive access to credit. Consider potential partnerships with informal savings and credit groups such as VSLA and MUSO to expand access to loans for women in particular. For youth, encourage partners to provide monitoring and support on credit, as well as training in business development. PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 6 II. INTRODUCTION 2.1 Project Background The Feed the Future Programme d’Appui a la Rentabilisation de l’Evage (PARE) is a 5-year, $23 million project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). PARE is implemented by Venture37 in partnership with Heifer International (Heifer) and Papyrus S.A. (Papyrus) from January 9, 2023 – January 8, 2028. The program aims to increase the resilience of households and communities in four Departments (Nord, Nord-Est, Sud and Centre) and 34 communes in the Northern and Southern RFZs of Haiti through the improvement of the livestock market system. PARE will focus on inclusive commercialization of the cattle, goat, sheep, and poultry value chains. PARE will take a market systems resilience (MSR) approach to reach its goal. PARE will foster livestock market system resilience through strategically partnering with diverse, existing public and private sector market actors to implement livestock systems innovations that support PARE’s objectives. PARE will integrate women and youth inclusion and empowerment strategies into these partnerships to foster inclusive growth. The PARE approach places Haitian partners at the center of implementation and will strategically utilize a $3.6 million Market Ignition Fund (MIF) as a flexible tool to build capacity and mitigate risk for market actor investment. At least 15% of MIF funds will be focused on supporting women and youth entrepreneurs or enterprise owners and firms primarily employing women and/or youth. The three main objectives that PARE will achieve are: Objective 1: Improve productivity of the livestock sector in the Resilience Focus Zones. PARE will improve livestock productivity in the RFZs by strengthening the private sector to support male, female, and youth farmers to adopt on-farm productivity-enhancing technologies and management practices that are climate smart, contextually adapted and specific to each species of livestock. Innovative partnership models, grants and private sector co-financing mechanisms deployed through the MIF will be at the core of building more sustainable extension systems that are tailored to the needs of male, female, and youth farmers and assisting producers and communities to build more resilience in the face of shocks. Importantly, outcomes from Objective 2 related to access to inputs and services are necessary components for the achievement of this objective. Partners will include private actors such as agro-dealers, end buyers, agro-vets, research universities and NGOs. Objective 2: Increase the accessibility of inputs and services in the livestock market system. PARE will improve male, female and youth producer access to inputs and services in four key areas: Provision of animal stock inputs and services, livestock nutrition inputs, animal health products and services, access to market information, and access to financial services. PARE will explore business models that provide embedded service provision as well as the expanded networks for input providers that meet the needs of male, female and youth producers. Potential partners could include agro-dealers, cooperatives, end market buyers, aggregators and financial institutions. Objective 3: Improve marketing and private sector engagement in the sector. To achieve this, PARE will engage the private sector to increase utilization of available and new financial products that meet the needs of male, female and youth-led enterprises, enhance their ability to produce higher-value products for rural and urban markets, and access the inputs and services they need to invest further in the sector and increase profitability. Interventions will include light-touch approaches such as improving linkages through regional platforms, and heavier-touch such as co-investment grants in improved infrastructure and packaging materials for slaughterhouses, meat packers and mini-dairy networks to improve quality and marketing campaigns. PARE will specifically target promising women and youth-led entrepreneurs and Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) with incubation and business development services. PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 7 2.2 HAITIAN CONTEXT Haiti has an estimated population of 11.4 million as of 2022, with 50.5% women1. Haiti is a very young country with over 50% of the population below the age of 251 and 32% under the age of 142. Unemployment is very high in Haiti, especially for youth. The unemployment rate was estimated to be 14.8% in 2022, 17.3% for women and 34% for youth aged 15-243. International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates indicate that 18.2% of youth are not in employment, education, or training. This is much more prevalent for women than men with 28% of female youth in rural areas and 43% in urban areas not in employment education or training, compared to 15% of male youth in rural areas and 23% in urban areas4. Within the agricultural sector, women play an important role. Agriculture employs just under half of Haiti’s workforce, including 30% of women5. Livestock is a key component of the agriculture sector with about 75% of households owning some type of livestock6. Women typically engage in rearing of small livestock, with a focus on production and transformation, which are activities that can be performed close to home. This segmentation of work can limit the income possibilities for women from their own managed livestock7. Interestingly, women’s empowerment in the agriculture sector is relatively high compared to similar developing nations, although there is still room to improve. In 2014, the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) was measured at 0.85 out of a total of one in Haiti, albeit for a different zone of influence8. The WEAI looks at production decision-making, access to productive resources, control over use of income, community leadership and time allocation. The study found that slightly over 50% of the women had achieved empowerment (80% or higher on the 5 dimensions of empowerment), while those not yet empowered had achieved empowerment in two thirds of the dimensions. Nearly two thirds of women (62.9%) achieved gender parity with men on these dimensions9. There is limited research on youth and agriculture in Haiti, and no recent studies focused on livestock. A USAID commissioned Youth Assessment in 2016 found that youth were generally leaving the rural areas 1 World Population Prospects 2022. United National Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. https://population.un.org/wpp/ 2 World Bank Open Data. Populations ages 0-14 (% of total population)-Haiti. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.0014.TO.ZS?locations=HTun 3 World Bank Open Data. Unemployment (% of workforce). 4 World Bank Group. Haiti’s Untapped Potential: An assessment of the barriers to gender equality. 2023. https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/4b69af839b59351a5d7a245d71a57c13-0370012023/original/Full-report Haiti-GA-EN.pdf 5 World Bank Open Data. Agriculture, forestry and fishing, value added (% of GDP)- Haiti. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NV.AGR.TOTL.ZS?locations=HT 6Coello, B., Oseni, G., Savrimootoo, T., & Weiss, E. (2014). Rural development in Haiti. 7 Jane Kellum, Ulrick Jean Claude, and Stephen Louis. USAID/Haiti Economic Growth and Agricultural Development: Gender Analysis Report. Prepared by Banyan Global. 2022. 8 The zone of influence in 2014 included 14 communes in the Northern Corridor, 4 communes in the Saint-Marc Corridor, and 10 communes in the Cul-de-Sac Corridor. 9 Malapit, Hazel Jean, Kathryn Sproule, Chiara Kovarik, Ruth Meinzen-Kick, Agnes Quisumbig, Farzana Ramzan, Emily Hogue, and Sabina Alkire. Measuring Progress Toward Empowerment. Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index: Baseline Report. 2014. https://cg-281711fb-71ea-422c-b02c-ef79f539e9d2.s3.us-gov-west 1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2018/03/ftf_progress_weai_baselinereport_may2014.pdf PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 8 to escape the stigma associated with agriculture work10. This is a similar finding in many developing economies where youth are not interested in agriculture work and instead migrate to the major cities to find employment. More study is needed on the root causes of these trends in Haiti for programs to provide the appropriate interventions to better integrate youth into the agriculture sector. This report helps contribute to understanding the constraints and opportunities for youth that have stayed in the livestock sector in the USAID RFZs. 2.3 Gender and Youth Inclusion Analysis Purpose The purpose of the GYI analysis is to document the current status, constraints and opportunities for male, female, and youth livestock producers and their communities in the Northern and Southern RFZs of Haiti for the cattle, goat/sheep, and poultry market systems. This study was conducted concurrently to the Baseline Assessment and drew from the same quantitative and qualitative primary data sources. In 2022, USAID/Haiti conducted a comprehensive gender analysis on livestock in Haiti to inform the USAID/Haiti’s Economic Growth and Agriculture Development (EGAD) strategy. The EGAD gender analysis utilized a desk review and primary qualitative data collection of women and men producers in the Northern and Southern RFZ. This study intends to build on the EGAD gender analysis, by adding quantitative results and an exploration of male and female youth constraints and opportunities that were absent from the previous report. This study also digs deeper into the differences between men, women and youth producers in production, including their ownership, responsibilities, and utilization of improved livestock practices that will inform an important aspect of PARE implementation. Within this report, the author will note where findings align with the EGAD gender analysis and highlight any new or different findings. The findings from this study in conjunction with the Baseline Assessment and Livestock Market System Analysis will inform a Gender and Youth Strategy as part of the Livestock Market Systems Resilience Strategy (LMSRS) that will drive PARE implementation. 10 Henry Wallic Charles, Rachelle Cassagnol, Carole Sassine, Nephtaly Andoney Pierre-Louis, Fabiola Rosier. USAID/Haiti Youth Assessment 2016. Prepared by LOGIK. 2017. PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 9 III. GYI ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY The GYI analysis utilized the data collected for the PARE baseline assessment. The PARE MEL team led the studies, with data collection by AGIRED. The studies used a mixed methods approach, with a quantitative household survey with cattle, goats/sheep, and poultry producers, qualitative focus group discussions (FGD) with producers, and key informant interviews (KII) with community leaders and other stakeholders. 3.1 Sampling Design Quantitative Household Survey The PARE Program will target the Northern and Southern RFZ, which includes 34 communes across 4 departments: Nord, Nord-Est, Centre and Sud. The quantitative data collection was population-based and designed to be statistically relevant at the department level, with a margin of error of 5% and confidence level of 95%, and an assumption of 10% non-response. This led to a total sample of 425 per department. The team took a three-stage sampling approach. At the first stage, a sample of 16 of the 34 PARE target communes was purposively selected based on the proportion of livestock in the communes. At the second stage, a sample of 100 Sections d’Enumération (SDEs) were randomly selected per commune. At the third stage, 17 households per SDE were selected using the random walk method. Table 1 below shows the plan and final sample size. Table 1. Final sample achieved compared to planned sample Department Selected Communes Planned Sample Achieved Sample # SDEs Total # household interviews # SDEs Total # household interviews Nord Saint-Raphaël 5 85 5 85 Acul du Nord 6 153 9 151 Limonade 11 85 5 84 Pignon 3 102 6 98 TOTAL 25 425 25 418 Nord Est Terrier-Rouge 8 136 8 136 Ouanaminthe 9 153 9 151 Vallières 3 51 3 47 Fort-Liberté 5 85 5 83 TOTAL 25 425 25 417 Centre Hinche 15 255 15 255 Cerca Carvajal 2 34 2 34 Cerca la Source 8 136 8 135 TOTAL 25 425 25 424 Sud Chantal 7 119 7 118 Torbeck 5 85 5 85 Camp-Perrin 5 85 5 85 Saint-Jean du Sud 4 68 4 68 Chardonnières 4 68 4 68 TOTAL 25 1700 25 1683 PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 10 Qualitative FGDs and KIIs The qualitative FGDs and KIIs utilized purposive sampling to ensure that a wide range of relevant stakeholders and perspectives were included. A total of 48 FGDs with producers were conducted, three in each of the 16 communes targeted for the quantitative household survey. In each commune, one was conducted with a general group of producers, one with women producers and one with youth producers. A total of 45 KIIs were conducted with community leaders and 20 KIIs with other stakeholders, distributed evenly across each of the four departments. Other stakeholders included training institutions and breeders. 3.2 Data Collection Tools Quantitative Household Survey The quantitative producer household survey collects data about demographics, livestock practices, decision-making, yield and sales of animals and animal products, exposure to shocks and coping strategy, asset ownership, access to infrastructure, services & markets. To inform the GYI analysis, the household survey asked questions about gender and youth in a few ways. First, to determine the respondent for the survey, the enumerators asked to speak to the individual in the household that is most knowledgeable about livestock rearing and the sex and age of that person was collected. Second, the sex of the household head was collected. Third, for the different types of livestock, the survey asked about who owns the livestock, who manages that livestock, and who makes decision about the livestock that can be disaggregated by sex. Qualitative FGDs and KIIs Discussion guides for qualitative fieldwork were developed based on the quantitative questionnaires. Different discussion guides were created for each type of FGD and KII. For the GYI analysis, the interviews asked specific questions about specific constraints and opportunities for women and youth in the livestock sector. As mentioned above, FGDs were conducted with women and youth producers in each commune to specifically understand their perspective on all discussion points. 3.3 Data Collection Fieldwork Data collection was carried out by AGIRED by a team of two regional coordinators, four supervisors and 34 local enumerators. Two regional enumerator trainings (one in the north and one in the south) were conducted for three days each, followed by a one-day pilot and debrief. Training focused on the survey methodology, a detailed review of the survey instrument, and best practices in ensuring high-quality data collection. Data collection was conducted face-to-face with respondents from April 24th to July 14th, 2023, in Haitian Creole using Kobo Collect on tablets. 12 SDEs (12% of total sample SDEs) were replaced due to security issues, lack of households in the SDE, or difficulty in traveling to the location. Replacement was done using random selection. 3.4 Challenges in Data Collection Data collection coincided with the rainy season as well as the beginning of the hurricane season. In addition, the sample included many rural and hard-to-access areas. Heavy rain and flooding in early June 2023 affected enumerators’ ability to travel and delayed fieldwork by a week and a half. In addition, fuel scarcity further slowed down the anticipated fieldwork timeline. Due to the current political crisis and gang activity in Haiti, respondents in many rural areas had increased suspicion of outsiders. Field teams worked with local guides to help overcome this issue. PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 11 Most of the data collected for the farmer household survey are self-reported. Limitations of self-reported data include the potential for exaggeration or omission of information, inaccurate recall, the potential for respondents to give responses they perceive as desirable, expected, or acceptable, reporting of untruthful information, and reduced validity if respondents do not fully understand a question. Enumerators were trained in techniques to help mitigate these types of measurement bias. Where possible, enumerators observed the environment of the livestock farming, to improve data quality. The reliability of self-reported data is particularly challenging for questions related to livestock yield. This issue was discussed with AGIRED prior to the start of fieldwork, and several steps were taken to minimize the effect of errors associated with self-reported estimates. One particular area that was identified was respondents’ inability to report on the average weight of each different type and gender of their livestock, which is required to calculate the yield indicator. To mitigate this issue, AGIRED conducted a separate data collection exercise in markets local to the data collection, whereby they weighed and measured the different types and genders of livestock. AGIRED collected 470 observations of animal weight. The average of each type of livestock was used to calculate yield. PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 12 IV. FINDINGS This section presents the main quantitative and qualitative findings related to gender and youth from smallholder cattle, goat/sheep, and poultry producers in the sampled communes across the four departments of the USAID/Haiti RFZs. This section is structured as follows: first, an overview of the socio-demographic makeup of the sample provides a context for findings. Then, women and youth participation in the three target livestock chains are examined in terms of their rates of management and ownership. Next, the size and composition of household’s herds and flocks are described in terms of differences between sex and age. Then, the management practices, yield and sales of livestock production are investigated along each value chain with comparison between sex and age outcomes. Next, the broader market dynamics that affect women and youth livestock producers in particular are examined in terms of education and training, and access to information. Finally, the gender and youth dynamics of household resilience are examined through the lenses of exposure to shocks and stressors, coping strategies and the ability to recover, with a final section on Women’s Empowerment. As described above in Section 3. GYI Analysis Methodology, respondents were asked to recall their previous year and values throughout the report refer to the time period of April 2022 to April 2023. All monetary values are in USD using the following exchange rate: 1 USD = 140 HTG.11 4.0 Gender and Youth Sample Distribution 4.0.1 DISAGGREGATION BY SEX AND YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE REPORT During the inception phase, the PARE MEL team’s consultation of previous studies including 2022 USAID/Haiti Gender Analysis Report as well as the expertise of the PARE technical team revealed that the dynamics of ownership and management of livestock within households can be complex. There is often joint ownership and decision making amongst individuals within a household and there are structures of ownership or management of livestock by individuals outside of the household, through gardien systems or by individuals who have migrated domestically or internationally. In addition, many households raise more than one type of livestock. Respondents to the Producer Household Survey were selected based on their self-designation as the person most knowledgeable about the production of livestock in their households. However, the respondent may be most knowledgeable about one value chain but not necessarily the other or may share in the management and ownership of a value chain with others inside or outside of their household. Some questionnaire items used the respondent producer as the unit of analysis and asked about their individual experiences. Other items collected data on household-level variables, for which the producer responded on behalf of the household. This approach allows this analysis to examine sex and age through a number of lenses, both at the individual level and the household level. Thus, disaggregation of data by sex and youth is done in three separate ways throughout this report and the most theoretically appropriate approach is employed according to the variable in question. First, for variables that considered the respondent the unit of analysis, such as their own education level or their own past experience with training, the data is disaggregated by the sex and age of the respondent themselves. Secondly, in the Producer Household Survey, the respondent producers detailed the different individuals responsible for the management and ownership of each value chain in their household. Where management or ownership was done by a single household member, they were coded into categories of 11 https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=USD&To=HTG PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 13 female only or male only management or ownership. Where the joint household members had the same gender, they were coded into female only or male only categories, and those that had different genders were coded as both male and female. Management or ownership by an individual or individuals outside of the household, including both relatives and third parties, were coded as outside of the household. This same disaggregation was applied to youth, with youth only, adult only, both youth and adult and outside of the household categories created for the age of livestock managers and owners within each household. To better understand how gender and age influence livestock herd/flock sizes, management practices, yield and sales, as well as other concerning the practice of or outcomes of the separate livestock value chains, sex and age are disaggregated according to these categories. Finally, for certain household level data, such as coping strategies employed or ability to recover from shocks and stresses, the gender of household head is used to identify how gender in equities can influence household resilience outcomes. 4.0.2 OVERVIEW OF THE SAMPLE The respondent for the Household Producer Survey was the household member identified as the most knowledgeable about the household’s livestock production. Table 2 presents the sex and age distribution of the respondent. Almost half (44%) of the sample were female producers. This proportion of female producers is aligned with findings from the 2022 USAID/Haiti Gender Analysis Report, which notes that women participate in all aspects of farming on their homesteads and their management of livestock is likely much higher than the 38% reported in official data.12 In the PARE Baseline Assessment, 14% of the sample were youth livestock producers, representing a slight increase in youth participation since the census. The average age of producers 47 years old, with a minimum age of 18 (capped by the survey protocol) and a maximum age of 95. The sex and age categories of producers reveals that there was an equal proportion of female and male youth (7%) within the sample of livestock producers. The largest subgroup included was male adults at 49%. Table 2. Gender and age distribution of sample Sex and youth subgroups % of total sample By sex of livestock producer Female 44% Male 56% By age of livestock producer Youth (ages 18 – 29) 14% Adult (ages 30+) 86% By gender and age of livestock producer Female youth 7% Female adult 37% Male youth 7% Male adult 49% n 1,683 12 Banyan Global. 2022. USAID/Haiti Economic Growth and Agricultural Development: Gender Analysis Report. PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 14 4.0.2 GENDER OF HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD Discussed in subsequent sections, the gender of the head of household can influence households’ experience of shocks and stress, as well as the coping strategies that household employ and their ability to recover. Of the smallholder producer households sampled in the PARE Baseline Assessment about a third, (34%), had a female head of household (with the remaining 66% with a male head of household). Female respondents overwhelmingly came from female-headed households. Of all female-headed households, 96% had a female respondent and 4% had a male respondent. Furthermore, in most (96%) of the households with both a female head of household and a female respondent, the respondent was the head of household herself. Female heads of households were less likely to be married (33%) than male head of households (43%) and more likely to be widowed (17%) than their male counterparts (4%). In fact, of the female respondents in the sample, who identified as the most knowledgeable in their household about their livestock production, half (52%) were single heads of household. For data at the household level, the gender of the head of household is used throughout this report as a disaggregate to better understand how resilience and livelihoods can be affected by gender. 4.0.3 SITUATION OF WOMEN AND YOUTH Throughout qualitative interviews, respondents offered observations on the situation and context of women in youth in rural Haiti. Two themes in particular arose from these conversations – the gendered social norms and power which affect women and the economically vulnerable position of youth. These themes ground much of the findings that follow and provide a foundation to better understand the barriers these vulnerable groups face as well as opportunities available to them. Gendered social norms and power Producers describe how gendered social norms permeate not only livestock production, but all aspects of society. First, producers described the prevalence of deeply ingrained gender roles that dominate much of the division of household labor in rural Haiti. Women are typically responsible for all of the work maintaining the household and caring for children. While women do participate in agriculture and livestock, this is considered the domain of men. “All the work in the yard and in the house is for the women. A little boy is not allowed to touch the broom, it’s work for girls. Almost all tasks are either for girls and women or for boys and men. You shouldn't be surprised to hear a 9-year-old boy say to his 11-year-old sister: go get me a glass of water.” -FGD with female producers in Hinche. As a result of the expectations on women to perform all the household and childcare labor, women who are involved in agriculture or livestock find that the time and effort they are able to dedicate to their other endeavors is limited, hindering their full participation. “The biggest specific constraint for women is that we are inseparable from home. From morning to evening, we take care of the children, cook food, wash clothes, wash dishes, etc. A woman's work is never finished. If you want to trade and go to distant markets, you have to ask members of your family to do you a favor and come to your house during your absence.” – FGD with female producers in Hinche. Many female producers remarked that women have their roles and responsibilities and are quite capable, but the tasks that fall within the woman’s domain are undervalued and her contribution is considered less important. “Women and men are not equal. In principle, women are capable of doing the same things as men, but they do not find opportunities. Men are dominant in society. Women and men each have their role to PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 15 play, there is work for men and work for women. But men's work is more valued and considered more important. But it is women who give birth to children in great pain and suffering. We regularly hear about a case where a woman died during childbirth, it is a great risk. But all this is considered normal and is little valued, because ‘she’s just a woman’”. - FGD with female producers in Vallières. Producers noted that the disparities in household labor are part of larger systemic inequities, which they attribute to gendered economic and power dynamics. Men are often seen as controlling access to financial resources, which limits women's ability to engage in various economic activities, such as owning land or accessing credit. Some women note that these patriarchal beliefs come from religion and traditional education. “The origin of inequality is above all the economic monopoly of men. Ouanaminthe is an agricultural area, but women do not have access to finances. The money is in the hands of men.” - FGD with female producers in Ouanaminthe. Some women remarked that this power dynamic places women in a position of subservience, wherein they must depend on men for financial resources. “We are like children before men. They are the ones who have to give us money for everything we need at home. What little we have is in their hands.” - FGD with female producers in Cerca Carvajal. The inequity in power is not limited to the economic sphere, it also extends to the private sphere, where gender-based violence is seen by some as a way for men to discipline women. Patriarchal values and norms allow men to control and correct women in some households, leading to the experience gender-based violence (GBV). While some women remarked that GBV was not prevalent in their community, all agreed that it was a problem at least in some areas and young girls were especially vulnerable. “Throughout the country of Haiti, men still think they are superior to women. They are the ones who make the decisions. What a man says is what should be done. Otherwise, as a woman, you can expect acts of violence.” - FGD with female producers in Fort Liberté. Women noted that GBV was exacerbated by poverty. When faced with economic difficulties, men may resort to violence to control their wives. Poverty also limits women's opportunities, making them more vulnerable to violence. At the same time, other women note that commerce and entrepreneurship offer a path of empowerment. They explained that women maintain separate finances and keep what they earn, so a woman who is able to engage profitably in an income-generating activity will find more autonomy and independence. “It’s a macho society, men always think they are more important. But there are also structural inequalities: for example in the free zone, men are given preference because women are absent for long periods when they are pregnant. So in general, land, houses, money and animals are in the hands of men. The exception is the woman who has her own business and who is financially independent.” - FGD with female producers in Ouanaminthe. Finally, other women note that social norms have shifted, and many opportunities are now open for women, at least professionally. This indicates the complexity of gendered power dynamics and social norms, in which perceived norms and realities can sometimes be at odds. “Today, there are more women working as professionals than before. For example, there are women who are engineers, lawyers or agronomists.” - FGD with female producers in Ouanaminthe. PARE Gender and Youth Inclusion Report Page 16 Economic vulnerability of youth As discussed above in Section 2.2 Haitian Context, youth in Haiti currently face a catastrophically high unemployment rate. Youth explained the precariousness of their situation because of this phenomenon, noting that even with an education, there are few opportunities for them and they remain dependent on their parents. Many youth explained that even at the ages of their late twenties, they were still living with their parents because they could not find any work. This led to a pervasive feeling of frustration and hopelessness. “The situation is catastrophic, there is nothing at all, no work, no library, no leisure center and no good schools. Even if they are not good, we go there, we graduate, and then we sit at home, there is nothing we can do.” - FGD with youth producers in Cerca Carvajal. Many youth felt like, in addition to the lack of employment, there were no structured path for them to learn a trade or any other means to earn a living outside of a job. They explained that any income generating activity available required an investment, and that they did not have the economic means to start. “There is no supervision to allow young people to do something serious. There are a few of us who learn a trade by working as an apprentice to a tradesman, but it is rare.” – FGD with youth in Hinche For many youth, they see leaving as their only alternative. At present, there is a rural exodus in Haiti as many youth leave their homes for cities or abroad to countries such as the Dominican Republic. Some did not want to make this move but felt that it may become inevitable if the situation does not improve. Youth remarked that many of their peers are saving money for a passport, which they see as the first step to leaving and which offers a level of prestige. “If there is a possibility to live decently, we would like to stay in Cerca Carvajal, close to our family. But if there is not this possibility, we will be forced to leave. And that’s why there are so many young people who are really leaving.” - FGD with youth producers in Cerca Carvajal. Without employment to occupy them, youth are sometimes viewed as lazy or involved in bad habits, but youth explained that they have no other occupations, highlighting the air of futility around their situation. “There are people who complain that young people do nothing, that we wander around, that we