Agroforestry and Forestry in Sulawesi series: Women’s participation in agroforestry: more benefit or burden? A gendered analysis of Gorontalo Province

Abstract

Women and men have different understandings of and knowledge about the natural resources in their environment.  These  differing  knowledge  bases  influence  their  practices  in  managing  and  extracting  natural resources, leading to different results and impacts. This study assesses the respective roles of women and men in households with agroforestry-based livelihoods in Gorontalo Province, Sulawesi, and seeks to show which gender receives the greatest benefits and which faces the greatest challenges in such partnerships. It also seeks to show how couples adapt and coexist in these households and in the wider  community.  The  research  findings  provide  guidance  for  designing  equitable  and  effective  development programmes that ensure that agroforestry livelihoods create more benefits than burdens for both women and men.