Men and women both contribute to and influence the use and trade of bushmeat, all along the bushmeat market chain from hunting to consumption, passing through trade and food preparation. In this presentation, we follow the bushmeat market chain, step by step, examining gendered involvement, and find tips for being gender-sensitive when mapping value chains. This presentation was given during CIFOR’s Annual Meeting 2012, which was held on 1–5 October at the headquarters in Bogor, Indonesia.

1. Gender and
Bushmeat Value
Chain
Robert Nasi
Nathalie Van Vliet
CIFOR, Annual Meeting 2012, October 3rd

2. Objective
To understand the roles and
contributions of men and
women in the use and trade of
bushmeat, along the bushmeat
trade chain from hunting to
consumption, passing through
trade and food preparation

3. The Bushmeat Market Chain
Prey
Hunters Transporters
Final consumers in rural areas Wholesalers
Retailers
Final consumers in urban areas

4. Hunting
Is generally a ”man”
only activity but....

5. Hunting
Women often push for hunting
“If a certain man goes hunting but I
don’t go, my wife might even start loving
that man.”
(Man, age 32)
Tanzania, FZS: Asanterabi Lowassa
(asante.kweka@gmail.com)

6. LA FILIÈRE VIANDE DE BROUSSE
The Bushmeat Market Chain
Prey
Hunters Transporters
Final consumers in rural areas
Retailers Wholesalers
Final consumers in urban areas

7. Transporting
Men are mostly involved in transport from the source to urban areas

10. LA FILIÈRE VIANDE DE BROUSSE
The Bushmeat Market Chain
Prey
Hunters Transporters
Retailers Wholesalers
Final consumers in rural areas
Final consumers in urban areas

11. Wholesalers and retailers
Women are involved in the trade from retailers, wholesalers, restaurants,
prepared bushmeat meals sold in markets or in the street

14. LA FILIÈRE VIANDE DE BROUSSE
The Bushmeat Market Chain
Prey
Hunters
Transporters
Retailers Wholesalers
Final consumers in rural areas
Final consumers in urban areas

17. Consumption
Bushmeat preferences by gender
South west Cameroun, van Vliet and Nasi, unpublished)
(N=345)
women preferences men preferences
monkey cane rat monkey
10% 5% 6% cane rat
11%
pangolin pangolin
6% 11%
red duikers
5%
blue duiker
red duikers
3%
9%
porcupine
blue duiker porcupine
61%
2% 46%
Bats, nile monitor, fox and gorilla were only mentioned by men; elephants were clearly
preferred by women (78% of the votes were from women)

18. Consumption
Consumption taboos for men and women
Women that eat bay duiker could have periods for ever
(Kota, Gabon)

19. Gender differences
• Gender balance all along the trade chain (Brown,
2003)
• Gender differences in the contribution of bushmeat
to income
• Gender differences in bushmeat consumption
patterns
• Gender differences in exposure to zoonosis
associated with the handling of bushmeat

20. Using qualitative data from two sites, lower Omo in Ethiopia and western
Serengeti in Tanzania, we found that in both places women, while not
actively hunting, played a strong role through a variety of
verbal and non‐verbal behaviours that motivated male
hunting and discouraged their non‐hunting. Hunting
activities were highly gendered and driven by the interplay
between male and female roles, which served to maintain
these activities despite strong disincentives from legislation
and conservation and development interventions.

21. Methodological implications
• Study of the value chain
without considering
gender is largely
irrelevant
• There is no need of very
sophisticated methods
• Common sense should
prevail

22. Methods. Cameroon
• Bushmeat consumption surveys at the household level
• Socio‐economic characteristics of the household
•Proteins consumed the day before the interview
for breakfast, lunch and dinner
•Stated preference for different sources of
protein

23. Methods
• Bushmeat consumption interviews to school pupils in
indigenous communities, small towns and cities
• Socio‐economic characteristics of the families
•Proteins consumed the day before the interview
for breakfast, lunch and dinner
•Stated preference for different sources of
protein

24. Methods
• Identification of the market chain:
stakeholders involved, trade points, prices,
trade routes etc…
•Visit trade points
•Participant observation
•Informal and non systematic conversations with
traders and consumers
•Daily monitoring of sales in specific key points
for one month during the dry season

25. Practical Tips for Gender-
Sensitive Value Chain Mapping
Engage in preliminary mapping of the chain, considering gender,
by using secondary sources and project’s documentation
before starting the study.
Add a gender dimension to a standard mapping of a value chain
is marginally costly. Critical steps are:
 to enquire about the relative proportions of women and
men at each node and
 to ask about who makes the transactions between nodes.
 complemented by further investigation into wage
differentials between women and men at each node, and
between nodes.

26. It is important to go out into the field and to seek access to
stakeholders as opposed to relying on spokespersons for
organisations who may proffer large claims regarding
progress towards gender equity. A richer, more nuanced
picture can be gained through talking to a range of actors at
each node in the chain.
People like ‘successful case stories’. Yet these may not typify the
average stories resulting from the work and the lessons that
can be developed from these. It is therefore useful to
consider carefully the kinds of respondent that the scientist
would like to speak to and the nature of the interaction
sought ‐ e.g. with or without project representatives,
representatives of various stakeholders, and the need to
meet ‘average cases’.
Gender‐sensitive translators comfortable with working in the
field are essential and so are gender‐sensitive investigators.

27. Thank you