Skip to main content
Log in

Gender and resource management: Households and groups, strategies and transitions

  • Published:
Agriculture and Human Values Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Rural families must constantly negotiate their livelihoods by obtaining access to natural resources, labor, capital, knowledge, and markets. Successful negotiation leads to enhanced family well-being and sustainable use of natural resources. Unsuccessful negotiation threatens family survival, threatens sustainable use of natural resources, and reduces bio-diversity. These negotiation processes are mediated by gender relations. The ideas of negotiation and of survival strategies outlined here provide a framework within which the articles of this issue can be situated. The articles are the result of research on gender and natural resource management conducted in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and North America. Each experience illustrates the consequences for natural resources and family well being when they have voice and when they do not have voice in household decisions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agarwal, B. (1994). “Gender and command over property: A critical gap in economic analysis and policy in South Asia.” World Development 22(10): 1455-1478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bebbington, A. (1999). “Capitals and capabilities: A framework for analyzing peasant viability, rural livelihoods and poverty.” World Development 27(12): 2021-2044.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blumberg, R. L. (1995). “Introduction: engendering wealth and well-being in an era of economic transformation.” In R. L. Blumberg, C. A. Rakowski, I. Tinker, and M. Monteón (eds.), EnGENDERing Wealth and Well-Being. Empowerment for Global Change (pp. 1-14). San Francisco: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunn, E., N. Kalaitzandonakes, and C. Valdivia. (1996). “Risk and the impacts of micro-enterprise services.” Assessing the Impacts of Microenterprise Services (AIMS). MSI. Washington DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, F. (1998). “Household strategies and rural livelihood diversification.” The Journal of Development Studies 35(1): 1-38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engle, P. (1995). “Father's money, mother's money, and parental commitment: Guatemala and Nicaragua.” In R. L. Blumberg, C. A. Rakowski, I. Tinker, and M. Monteón (eds.), EnGENDERing Wealth and Well-Being. Empowerment for Global Change, Chapter 8. San Francisco: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson, A. E. (1992). “Differences among women farmers: Implications for African agricultural research programs.” Proceedings of a Workshop on Social Science Research and the CRSP's June 9–11 (pp. 47-62). Lexington Kentucky. INTSORMIL Publication No. 93-3.

  • Koc, M. and K. Dahlberg (1999). “The restructuring of food systems: Trends, research and policy issues.” Agriculture and Human Values 16(2): 109-116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kusterer, K. (1989). “Small farmer attitudes and aspirations.” USAID Program Evaluation Discussion Paper No. 26. USAID, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moghadam, V. (1995). “Gender dynamics of restructuring in the semiperiphery.” In R. L. Blumberg, C. A. Rakowski, I. Tinker, and M. Monteón (eds.), EnGENDERing Wealth and Well-Being. Empowerment for Global Change, Chapter 2. San Francisco: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quisumbing, A., L. Brown, H. Feldstein, L. Haddad, and C. Peña (1995). Women: The Key to Food Security. Washington DC: International Food Policy Research Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rakowski, C. (1995). “Conclusions: Engendering wealth and well-being lessons learned.” In R. L. Blumberg, C. A. Rakowski, I. Tinker, and M. Monteón (eds.), EnGENDERing Wealth and Well-Being. Empowerment for Global Change, Chapter 14. San Francisco: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reardon, T., C. Delgado, and P. Matlon (1992). “Determinants and effects of income diversification amongst farm households in Burkina Faso.” The Journal of Development Studies 28(2): 264-296.

    Google Scholar 

  • Valdivia, C., E. Dunn, and C. Jetté (1996). “Diversification, a risk management strategy in an Andean agropastoral community.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics (December) 78(5): 1329-1334.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Valdivia, C., Gilles, J. Gender and resource management: Households and groups, strategies and transitions. Agriculture and Human Values 18, 5–9 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007608717996

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007608717996

Navigation