Can Dairy Value-Chain Projects Change Gender Norms in Rural Bangladesh?

Value-chain projects are increasingly being used to link smallholders to markets. However, in contexts where women tend to own and control fewer assets than men, there is potential for value-chain projects to have unintended consequences on gender dynamics. In particular, there is concern among project implementors regarding possible adverse effects for women in terms of shifting intrahousehold distribution of assets, gender norms, and household members’ time allocation to various activities. Using both quantitative and qualitative research methods, the Gender, Agriculture, and Assets Project (GAAP) worked with CARE Bangladesh to assess the impact of the Strengthening the Dairy Value Chain Project (SDVCP) on (1) women’s ownership of assets, men’s ownership of assets, and jointly held assets; (2) gender norms around asset ownership and control; (3) gender norms regarding decision making in these areas surrounding the dairy value chain; and (4) trade-offs and time costs involved in project participation.