Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
example of conflict includes the issue of how lands are zoned in Carapongo.
Farmer and community groups are advocating for the right to conduct
agriculture, while local authorities do not permit such a classification.
Other indicators of the social capital are indexes of confidence and network
formation.
Indexes of confidence - The strength of social ties can be quantified using
a 'confidence index' - essentially, a way of quantifying different degrees of
confidence between different actors. With regard to the index of confidence
required to form an organization, the highest degree of trust is for neighbours
(36 per cent), then family members (22 per cent). However, when enquiries
were made about confidence in different institutions, the local government
was rated poorly, with a 60 per cent level of mistrust, while a higher amount
of confidence was shown in the Irrigation Board (with 35 per cent average
confidence and 15 per cent high confidence).
Networks and other forms of organization - Urban farmers participate in
organizations that have been formed primarily because of the presence of
common interests in specific areas (such as water and land). To date in
Carapongo no networks have been formed involving inter-sectoral or
comprehensive approaches. Working with others in networks involves being
part of a process where information is exchanged, new knowledge generated,
experiences strengthened, resources exchanged, practices integrated and
replicable models built for other projects. Lack of networking is a limitation
since it impedes the ability to take advantage of opportunities generated by
the market. Lack of networking also makes negotiating with other agents of
the production and consumption chain more di
cult.
Gender division of labour within households
We examined the gender division of labour to look at the roles of men and
women in UA. Among other gender issues, this section examines gender
division in access to and control over assets (with respect to control over the
benefits of production) and productive resources. The survey of 125 farmers
included questions related to gendered labour responsibilities, reproductive
responsibilities and control over means of production.
Division of labour in agricultural work - One of the more interesting
findings relating to the division of labour between men and women in UA is
the frequency with which tasks are shared. Primary responsibility for
agricultural tasks is summarized in Table 3.3. In only two types of tasks -
land preparation and pest control - do men clearly possess sole responsibility.
Women are generally responsible for these tasks only when they are single,
widowed, or under other special circumstances. Where the task of land
preparation is shared, women help to prepare vegetable beds that cannot be
done by ploughing alone. Many other tasks are more frequently shared than
defined specifically as male or female roles. Although men play a stronger role
in vegetable production, this does not carry through to post-harvest and
marketing activities, where women clearly play a bigger part. This is because
