Gender and agriculture and natural resource management in Latin America and the Caribbean : an overview of the literature

This report, drawn from development literature published during the 1980"s, updates existing knowledge on the subject and makes suggestions for future research and programmatic efforts. Section I summarizes, by subregion (the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America, and South America), what is known about women"s role in A&NRM, and identifies research gaps for each subregion. These findings are related in Section II to the four main programmatic areas of USAID"s A&NRM strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean: promotion of sustainable agriculture, prevention of deforestation, conservation of biodiversity, and water conservation and quality. Section III highlights three general areas where more research is needed: (1) the link between gender and the adoption of new technologies and practices, (2) women"s roles and responsibilities in the use and management of natural resources, and (3) how gender concerns have been integrated into A&NRM development. Specific issues particularly relevant to the region are also identified, including the link between gender and the use of pesticides, the effects of male migration on women"s agricultural patterns, and the gender composition of the workforce in various stages of the agribusiness cycle. Includes 10-page bibliography.