A Final Evaluation of Oxfam’s Gendered Enterprise and Markets Programme (2014-18): Summary of findings

Overview

Gendered Enterprise and Markets (GEM) is Oxfam GB’s approach to market systems development. The GEM approach facilitates change in market systems and social norms, with the aim of ensuring more sustainable livelihood opportunities for marginalized women and men. The GEM DFID AidMatch Programme (June 2014–February 2018) worked within the soya, milk and vegetable value chains targeting women smallholder farmers in areas of poverty. The programme aimed to benefit 63,600 people (10,600 smallholder households) living in Zambia, Tajikistan and Bangladesh through increases in household income, women having greater influence over key livelihood decisions within their households and communities, and engaging in livelihoods more resilient to shocks, such as natural disasters and market volatility.

This evaluation was designed to investigate if and how the GEM programme contributed to its intended outcomes – not only in the lives of individual women smallholder farmers targeted by the programme but also in terms of changes in their communities and the larger market system. It also sought to capture any potential unintended outcomes of the programme. This summary report outlines the key findings from  the three individual country evaluations in Bangladesh, Tajikistan and Zambia – for which the full reports are also available.