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Exploring opportunities and challenges in agriculture through the gender lens

This case study examines the gender dynamics in agriculture within the H'mong community in Tuan Giao, Dien Bien, Vietnam. It highlights the need for women's inclusion and explores approaches to enhance their participation in agricultural activities. The study identifies specific challenges and interests faced by both men and women in the community.

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Exploring opportunities and challenges in agriculture through the gender lens

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  1. Exploring opportunities and challenges in agriculture through the gender lens FST/2016/152 and AGR/2017/008 | 27 March 2018 A case study in a H’mong community, Tuan Giao, Dien Bien

  2. Giớithiệu • AFLI 1 - Agroforestry for Smallholder Farmers in Northwest Vietnam (2011-2016) successfully encouraged farmers to apply agroforestry and local authorities to implement policies facilitating farmers. • AFLI 1 key learning: • Both men and women should play important roles in agriculture and smallholder economic development • Women, especially those from the H'mong ethnic group, facing specific gender-based constraints. Stay behind the men in Focus group discussion Not easy to share Language barrier

  3. Introduction • AFLI 2 -Developing and Promoting market-based agroforestry and forest rehabilitation options for Northwest Vietnam (2017-2021) continued addressing those challenges and scaling up agroforestry • This joint work between AFLI 2 and Small Research Activity (SRA) gender team aims to: • Understand gender-based constraints, interests and challenges • Exploring suitable approaches to encourage women’s participation in project activities and to improve their knowledge and skills

  4. Study site • Toa Tinh commune: • History: Established in 1952 • Population: 7 villages, 2,000 people, 400 households • Ethnicity: H’mong • Education: Primary (mostly) & secondary • Agricultural products: Maize, rice, son tra (taomeo), tea, coffee, pine, livestock (buffalo, cow, goat, chicken, pig) • Main income from son tra, coffee • Hua Xa A village • History: Established in 1984 • Population: 7 villages, 2,000 people, 400 households • Total area: 693 ha (agriculture: 337 ha) • Population: 500 people, 103 households • Poor household: 46%, near poor: 16% Map of the study site

  5. Methodologies 10 Young men (15 -25); 10 Old men (26 – 60; 10 Young women (15-25); 10 Old women ( 26-20) Photo exhibition Challenges in agriculture Ice breaking Labour division Ownership/Access to resources Photo taking activities Gender norms 4 farmers from each group

  6. Results 1. Social expectations of wife and husband

  7. 2. Power relationships within the family *5=Full of power and freedom, 0=No power and freedom **Left= five years ago, Right=now

  8. 3. Labour division in agricultural activities

  9. Time wheels of young and old men and women

  10. 24 hours’ time allocation of men and women Tired but used to that !!! Happy !!!

  11. 4. Ownership and the use of resources and assets by gender • Men may hold ownership, women have relative freedom to use some small equipment • The greatest gender gap is accessing to information • Although women have access to motorbikes and phones, it is often men who buy them first and women are often given the second hand items from their husband *tractor, truck, sawing machines ** grass chopping machines, spraying equipment, hoe *** Radio, TV, phones, training materials, posters

  12. Source of knowledge and information Women (26-60) Men (26-60) Men (15-25) Women (15-25) Various sources: trainings, media and relatives and friends Mostly from relatives and friends

  13. 5. Men challenges & interests in agriculture • Big-scale issues such as infrastructure, irrigation, big machines and markets • Young men are keen on new innovations such as agroforestry • Willing to attend trainings and learn new things, new techniques

  14. 5. Women challenges & interests in agriculture • Livestock diseases and need more support on livestock • Son tra, coffee production and selling • Working and living condition such as road, water pipe • Limited access to information and techniques due to language barrier and education • Using mechanisation to create additional time and labour for improving agricultural production

  15. Conclusion • Family is a core unit of agricultural production and development in H’mong community, based on gender norms • There are certain domains where women can have relative freedom in investment, risk taking and changing practices, such as vegetable production, fruit selling, poultry production. • The young and the old have different approaches to obtain information and learn new technologies. • There are gender-specific challenges and interests in agricultural production and selling. • Young men and women express their special interests to try new practices such as agroforestry while old men and women prefer incremental change based on traditional practices with improved working conditions • Participatory data collection methods is very helpful to build rapport with H’mong famers and thereby collecting rich information on gender and social dimensions

  16. THANK YOU !!!

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