Gendered differences in crop diversity choices: A case study from Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Crop choice, including the conservation of traditional crops and the uptake of novel ones, is a central issue in agricultural development. This paper examines differences between male and female farmers' motivations for growing diverse crop portfolios in Papua New Guinea, a highly agro-biodiverse context facing rapid social change. Q methodology, a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach, is used to examine how alignment with different viewpoints related to crop diversity differs across male and female farmers. We show that, of five distinct 'types' of farmers identified with regards to crop diversity choices, all include both men and women, and three of five groups show no significant gender-related differences. However, there are also significant gender differences. A large proportion of women farmers associate with being highly motivated by crop marketing, whereas male farmers are more likely to favor agricultural diversity due to tradition or status motivations. Overall, strict gendering of crops does not appear highly salient. The results confirm earlier work in the region on women's roles in marketing but contrast to those on crop gendering. Altogether, they underline the complexity of gender and identity in agricultural choices. The results also have implications for the targeting and implementation of crop conservation and promotion policies and programs, including those aiming for improved nutrition or agricultural development.

On the links between nature's values and language

“…Q-method (herein Q) is becoming increasingly popular in conservation research, where it is used to understand people's perspectives, preferences and values (Nordhagen et al, 2017(Nordhagen et al, , 2021Zabala, 2014;Zabala et al, 2018). Q requires a set of statements (also known as items) from diverse data sources reflecting the multiplicity of perspectives on a given topic, usually obtained from a combination of information from secondary literature, key informants and focus groups (Brown, 1996).…”

Bragging, shirking, and hiding: Spousal disagreement among Ugandan maize farmers

“…In many agricultural households, though certainly not all, women tend to have a stronger voice in the cultivation of crops that are predominately cultivated for home consumption, while men have a stronger voice in the cultivation of crops that are marketed. Gendered dierences in crop choices may emerge from a variety of factors, including gender-related dierences in knowledge about the crop, access to planting material, access to inputs and extension services, and customs and traditions (Nordhagen, Pascual, and Drucker, 2021;Iradukunda et al, 2019). While the existence of such gendered patterns are widely acknowledged, they are not always easily captured in household survey data, as gender is only one of the determinants of crop portfolio choice (Carr, 2008;Doss, 2002).…”

Women's empowerment, production choices, and crop diversity in Burkina Faso, India, Malawi, and Tanzania: a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data

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