Gender Roles of Farmer Families in Vegetable-Agroforestry System: A Case Study at Nanggung Subdistrict, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to examine women's involvement in decision making to ensure their participation in Vegetable Agroforestry (V AF) production and marketing training, and to increase the involvement of women farmers or marketing associations. The study was done at Hambaro, Parakan Muncang and Sukaluyu Villages, Subdistrict of Nanggung, District of Nanggung, West Java Province in June-July 2006. A total of 185 household respondents were selected randomly. Results showed that men dominated gender roles in farming system practices such as land preparation, nursery, planting, maintaining plants, fertilizing and harvesting. Moreover, there were gender differences in access and control over farm production inputs. Men dominated access to and control over credit, production technology and iabor. A fair number of women had access to and control over marketing of agricultural products and had access to price information of agricultural product~ Women had insignificant roles in decision making on farming, farm financial planning and activities, but were dominant as decision -makers in domestic family planning including evaluating the actions of family members, and controlling their family financial activities. Men acted as dominant decision-makers with regard to farming financial planning, and some of domestic responsibility especially on choosing children's education.