Women and the agriculture of El Salvador

Survey results are used to detail: (1) the characteristics of rural Salvadoran women; (2) women in agriculture, particularly differences in the circumstances of women associated with irrigated farms as opposed to those with nonirrigated farms and also women"s contribution to the domestic food supply through gardening and animal husbandry; (3) women"s perceptions of their condition (e.g., obstacles to greater success; access to information and credit); and (4) a comparison of responses from men and women of the same household, which suggested that men knew more of the farming details and that women were more passive in their answers. Preceding the results is a discussion of the potential negative impact of agricultural development on women in Latin America and a summary of how the Water Management Project, by considering women in the areas of training, access to resources, and irrigation system design, will avoid adverse impacts. Appendices provide the survey methodology and instrument.