OXFAM - Gender Transformative and Responsible Agribusiness Investments in Southeast Asia – Phase 2 (GRAISEA 2) - 2022

Description of Project: Gender Transformative & Responsible Agribusiness Investments (GRAISEA 2) in South-East Asia is a 5-year project  from 2018 to 2023 to in South-East Asia to promote women’s economic empowerment, inclusive business and climate resilience for marginalised community in shrimp and rice value chains. The project has been being implemented by Oxfam and partners in Kien Giang, An Giang, Soc Trang province (for rice value chain) and Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau province (for shrimp value chain).

GRAISEA 2 works simultaneously at three levels (i.e. producer, private sector, and government), and across three thematic priorities (i.e. women’s economic empowerment (WEE) and promoting women's rights and addressing unequal power relations; strengthening climate resilience (CR) and reducing related vulnerability; and collaboration with, and influencing of, the private sector on inclusive business (IB) practices and models).

Oxfam aims at having in-depth insights and proposing systemic solutions to address gender related issues in upcoming project phase, document transformative changes and gender business cases achieved in previous project phase by the project in shrimp and rice value chains.

Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:

Mekong Economics’ input was to follow the mid-term review of GRAISE 2 and complement the gap in analysis and solution the mid-term review had not addressed by conducting a gender situation analysis, gender mainstreaming, document stories of change, and propose solutions for the project’s next phase to address direct and systemic causes identified during the gender analysis stage.

·         MKE carried out an in-depth literature and document review to gain comprehensive understanding how GRAISE 2’s work promoted IB practices, strengthens CR and promotes WEE in shrimp and rice value chains in Mekong Delta.

·         We conducted a qualitative research through focus group discussion, key informant interview and most significant change study to have in-depth insights at gender transformative changes and gender business cases achieved in selected value chains, gender motivation, direct/structural issues and recommendation from different beneficiaries and stakeholders for WEE solutions for the project’s next phase.

·         We also produced and submitted a report and held a workshop to present the top-line findings and recommendations including the gender mainstreaming plan development for the project’s next phase