Women smallholder agricultural farmers' views on gender equility and the role of informal agricultural associations in the Catembe district, Mozambique

Abstract

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research objective of this study was to explore women smallholder agricultural farmers' views of gender equality in terms of access to land, control over land and the division of labour. However, after some time the decision was made to add to this an exploration of women smallholder agricultural farmers' views on the role of informal agricultural groups in promoting gender equality. Six women, who live in the Catembe district in Maputo province took part in the study. As dictated by the research objectives participants in the study were married or living with a partner and engaged in smallholder agriculture both individually and collectively as part of an informal agricultural association. The research was designed according to Participatory Action Research (PAR). PAR was chosen as a research design in order to meet the objectives of the study and because PAR is compatible with the theoretical position from which the research was undertaken, namely the Empowerment perspective on women, gender and development. Data collection methods for the study included individual and focus-group interviews, observation and a review of secondary data. Data was analysed using a combination of qualitative data analysis methods. The research findings indicated that participants perceive a lack of gender equality predominantly in terms of the gender division of labour and not so much in terms of access to and control over land. The promotion of gender equality was not a consideration for women when they joined the informal agricultural association. Membership had little if any influence on the level of gender equality participants experienced in their personal lives. The association was primarily used to access some income and food and it appeared to have a social support function. The research findings also indicated that within informal agricultural associations the division of resources might be unequal. The unequal division of resources within the association does not only undermine its ability to successfully secure income and food security for its members, but it may also undermine the association's ability to act as a forum for discussing gender related issues. The latter is the potential role participants envision for informal agricultural associations in promoting gender equality.

AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsingsdoelwit van hierdie studie was om vroue bestaansboere se siening oor "gender" gelykheid in terme van toegang tot land, beheer oor land en die verdeling van arbeid te ondersoek. Na 'n ruk is die besluit egter geneem om vroue bestaansboere se siening oor die rol van informele landbou-assosiasies in die bevordering van "gender" gelykheid byte voeg. Ses vroue, wat woon in die Catembe distrik in Maputo provinsie, het deelgeneem aan die studie. Soos aangedui deur die navorsingsdoelwitte was deelnemers in die studie getroud of in 'n saarnbly verhouding en betrokke by bestaansboedery op individuele vlak en gesamentlik as deel van 'n informele landbou-assosiasie. Die navorsing was ontwerp volgens Deelnemende Aksie Navorsing (PAR). PAR was gekies as navorsingsontwerp ten einde die doelwitte van die studie te bereik kan word en omdat PAR ooreestem met die teoretiese posisie waarvan die navorsing ondemeem was, naarnlik die Bemagtigings perspektief op vroue, "gender" en ontwikkeling. Data insamelingsmetodes vir die studie het ingesluit individuele en fokus-groep onderhoude, observasie en 'n oorsig van sekondere data. Data was geanaliseer deur 'n kombinasie van kwalitatiewe data analise metodes te gebruik. Die navorsingsbevindinge dui daarop dat deelnemers 'n gebrek aan "gender" gelykheid grootliks ervaar in terme van die verdeling van arbeid en nie so seer in terme van toegang tot en beheer oor land nie. Die bevordering van "gender" gelykheid was nie 'n oorweging vir die vroue toe hulle by die informele landbou-assosiasies aangesluit het nie. Lidmaatskap het min of geen invloed gehad op die mate van "gender" gelykheid wat deelnemers in hulle persoonlike lewe ervaar het nie. Die assosiasie is primer gebruik om toegang tot inkomste en voedsel te verseker en dit blyk dat die assosiasie 'n sosiale ondersteuningsfunkie gehad het. Die navorsingsbevindings het ook daarop gedui dat binne informele lanbou-assosiasies daar 'n ongelyke verdeeling van hulpbronne kan wees. Die ongelyke verdeling van hulpbronne binne die assosiasie onderrnyn nie net die assosiasie se vermoe om suksesvol inkornste en voedsel sekuriteit te verseker nie, maar ook die assosiasie se vermoe om te funksioneer as 'n forum waar lede "gender" aangeleenthede kan bespreek. Laasgenoemde is die potensiele rol wat deelnerners beoog vir informele landbou-assosiasies in die bevordering van "gender" gelykheid.