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Indicators for the Analysis of Peasant Women’s Equity and Empowerment Situations in a Sustainability Framework: A Case Study of Cacao Production in Ecuador

Author

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  • Olga De Marco Larrauri

    (Department of Investigation, Agrarian University of Ecuador, Guayaquil 090104, Ecuador
    ISEC (Institute of Sociology and Peasant Studies), Cordoba University, 14071 Cordoba, Spain)

  • David Pérez Neira

    (Department of Applied Economics and Statistics, University of Leon, 24071 Leon, Spain
    Prometeo Research, National Secretary of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Quito 170526, Ecuador)

  • Marta Soler Montiel

    (Department of Applied Economics II, University of Seville, 41004 Seville, Spain)

Abstract

Family agriculture is a fundamental pillar in the construction of agroecological agri-food alternatives fostering processes of sustainable rural development where social equity represents a central aspect. Despite agroecology’s critical openness, this area has not yet incorporated an explicit gender approach allowing an appropriate problematization and analysis of the cultural inequalities of gender relations in agriculture, women’s empowerment processes and their nexus with sustainability. This work presents an organized proposal of indicators to approach and analyze the degree of peasant women’s equity and empowerment within a wide sustainability framework. After a thorough bibliographical review, 34 equity and empowerment indicators were identified and organized into six basic theoretical dimensions. Following the collection of empirical data (from 20 cacao-producing families), the indicators were analyzed and reorganized on the basis of hierarchical cluster analysis and explanatory interdependence into a new set of six empirical dimensions: (1) access to resources, education and social participation; (2) economic-personal autonomy and self-esteem; (3) gender gaps (labor rights, health, work and physical violence); (4) techno-productive decision-making and remunerated work; (5) land ownership and mobility; and (6) diversification of responsibilities and social and feminist awareness. Additionally, a case study is presented that analyzes equity and empowerment in the lives of two rural cacao-producing peasant women in Ecuador.

Suggested Citation

  • Olga De Marco Larrauri & David Pérez Neira & Marta Soler Montiel, 2016. "Indicators for the Analysis of Peasant Women’s Equity and Empowerment Situations in a Sustainability Framework: A Case Study of Cacao Production in Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-18, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:12:p:1231-:d:83760
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Waseem Ul Hameed & Muhammad Haseeb & Jawad Iqbal & Leonardus W. W. Mihardjo & Kittisak Jermsittiparsert, 2022. "Environmental disaster and women self‐sustainability—A survey study on microfinance female clientele in Pakistan," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(3), pages 3599-3622, July.
    3. Daoyan Guo & Hong Chen & Ruyin Long & Hui Lu & Qianyi Long, 2017. "A Co-Word Analysis of Organizational Constraints for Maintaining Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Dina Kusnezowa & Jan Vang, 2021. "Creating Legitimacy in the ISO/CEN Standard for Sustainable and Traceable Cocoa: An Exploratory Case Study Integrating Normative and Empirical Legitimacy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-21, November.
    5. Jilmar Castañeda-Ccori & Anne-Gaël Bilhaut & Armelle Mazé & Juan Fernández-Manjarrés, 2020. "Unveiling Cacao Agroforestry Sustainability through the Socio-Ecological Systems Diagnostic Framework: The Case of Four Amazonian Rural Communities in Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-17, July.
    6. Mª del Carmen Olmos-Gómez & Ligia Isabel Estrada-Vidal & Francisca Ruiz-Garzón & Rafael López-Cordero & Laila Mohamed-Mohand, 2019. "Making Future Teachers More Aware of Issues Related to Sustainability: An Assessment of Best Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-21, December.

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