CIFOR-ICRAF Launches GESI+ Toolkit for Fairer Deforestation-Free Value Chains
As stakeholders prepare for the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), experts warn that technical compliance alone risks deepening existing inequalities in forest and agricultural landscapes. To address this, the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) and the GIZ Sustainable Agriculture for Forest Ecosystems (SAFE) project have launched a new Training of Trainers toolkit focused on Gender Equity, Social Inclusion, and Intersectionality (GESI+). This initiative moves beyond traditional gender-focused approaches by examining how intersecting identities—such as age, ethnicity, indigeneity, and disability—shape access to resources and market opportunities. The toolkit aims to equip practitioners working directly with smallholders to navigate the social realities of EUDR implementation. By integrating intersectionality into due diligence and benefit-sharing processes, the program seeks to ensure that the transition to deforestation-free supply chains is inclusive and fair. It specifically targets vulnerable groups, including women and Indigenous Peoples, who face higher risks of exclusion under new market rules. This effort complements existing technical support by strengthening the social dimension of sustainability, ensuring that global trade regulations do not inadvertently harm agroforestry farms or marginalized communities.
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CIFOR-ICRAF Launches GESI+ Toolkit for Fairer Deforestation-Free Value Chains
As stakeholders prepare for the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), experts warn that technical compliance alone risks deepening existing inequalities in forest and agricultural landscapes. To address this, the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) and the GIZ Sustainable Agriculture for Forest Ecosystems (SAFE) project have launched a new Training of Trainers toolkit focused on Gender Equity, Social Inclusion, and Intersectionality (GESI+). This initiative moves beyond traditional gender-focused approaches by examining how intersecting identities—such as age, ethnicity, indigeneity, and disability—shape access to resources and market opportunities. The toolkit aims to equip practitioners working directly with smallholders to navigate the social realities of EUDR implementation. By integrating intersectionality into due diligence and benefit-sharing processes, the program seeks to ensure that the transition to deforestation-free supply chains is inclusive and fair. It specifically targets vulnerable groups, including women and Indigenous Peoples, who face higher risks of exclusion under new market rules. This effort complements existing technical support by strengthening the social dimension of sustainability, ensuring that global trade regulations do not inadvertently harm agroforestry farms or marginalized communities.
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