blog 5

Summary

This research focuses on women's empowerment in organic rice farming in Lampung Province, Indonesia, comparing their roles and challenges with those in non-organic farming. Through a mixed-methods approach involving interviews and surveys of 60 households, the study highlights significant empowerment gaps between men and women. While women in organic farming show higher empowerment, cultural and structural barriers persist. The findings suggest that targeted interventions, leadership promotion, and community engagement are crucial for enhancing women's roles in agriculture. Future research will explore long-term impacts, regional comparisons, and the environmental effects of farming practices.

Takeaways

• 😀 Women's empowerment in agriculture is crucial for sustainable development, especially in organic rice farming in Lampung Province, Indonesia.
• 😀 Rice is a staple food for 93% of Indonesia's population, making the agricultural sector highly significant for food security and economic stability.
• 😀 While women play key roles in farming, their contributions often go underappreciated, especially in the context of organic farming.
• 😀 This study aims to compare women's roles, challenges, and empowerment levels in organic versus non-organic farming systems in Lampung.
• 😀 A mixed-method approach (quantitative and qualitative) was used, with 60 farmer households (30 organic, 30 non-organic) involved in the study.
• 😀 The Women Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) was adapted to local contexts to measure women's empowerment, considering factors like decision-making and control over resources.
• 😀 The study found a significant gender empowerment gap, with 70% of women considered disempowered in the rice farming sector.
• 😀 Women involved in organic farming had higher empowerment scores than those in non-organic farming, but there was a higher gender parity gap in organic households.
• 😀 Key barriers to women's empowerment included limited participation in decision-making, informal leadership roles, and inactive women’s farmer groups.
• 😀 Recommendations include providing targeted training for women, promoting leadership opportunities, and raising awareness to challenge gender norms in agricultural practices.
• 😀 Future research should explore the long-term effects of women's collective action, compare empowerment across regions, and assess environmental impacts of farming practices.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the research presented in the transcript?

The research focuses on women's empowerment in the development of organic rice farming in Lampung Province, Indonesia, and compares the roles and challenges faced by women in organic versus non-organic farming systems.

Why is rice farming important in Indonesia?

Rice is a staple food for 93% of the Indonesian population and plays a significant role in food security and economic stability in the country.

What gap in previous studies does this research aim to address?

Previous studies lack a comparative analysis of gender roles in organic versus non-organic farming, particularly in Indonesia, which this research aims to address.

What is the geographic scope of the study?

The study was conducted in two locations in Lampung Province, southern Sumatra, Indonesia: Tulum Aong village and Fajar Iso village.

How were the participants in the study selected?

A total of 60 farmer households were selected, with 30 from organic rice farming and 30 from non-organic rice farming. Both men and women were interviewed separately, resulting in 120 respondents.

What method was used to measure women's empowerment in the study?

The study used the abbreviated Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (AWEA), which includes two components: the Five Domains of Empowerment Index (5DA) and the Gender Parity Index (GPI).

How does the Five Domains of Empowerment Index (5DA) work?

The 5DA captures individual empowerment across five key domains: production resources, income, leadership, time allocation, and decision-making. It includes specific indicators to assess decision-making power, control over resources, economic influence, and workload distribution.

What were the main findings related to the empowerment scores of women in the study?

The study found that women's empowerment scores were generally low, with 70% of women considered disempowered (scoring below 0.8), while only 15% of men were disempowered. Women in organic farming had higher empowerment scores than those in non-organic farming, but there was a higher gender parity gap within households in organic farming.

What were some of the barriers to women's empowerment identified in the study?

The study identified several barriers, including women's limited participation in decision-making, dominance of men in key activities like livestock management, and limited leadership opportunities within farmer groups due to a lack of training and external support.

What recommendations were made based on the study's findings?

The recommendations included implementing targeted interventions to address structural barriers, promoting women's leadership through active participation in farmer groups, raising community awareness to challenge gender norms, and creating opportunities for women in agricultural decision-making roles.