Gender in sustainable agriculture: the case of Nalasin, Paoay, Ilocos Norte, Philippines.

In the past, it has been noticed that agricultural research gave particular attention to the "men" farmer. Present international literature on research and agroecological systems, however, shows the importance of the "women" farmer. This recognition of women's productive activities has called the attention of many researchers. The farming system practice in Barangay Nalasin, Paoay, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, is a form of tradition which the inhabitants have been practicing for so long. According to them, inherent to the Ilocano culture is the maximization of their resources. Thus, we find that the human resources are not gender specific, delineated only by the capacity and the physical capability of the person. Gender division of labor depends largely on the nature of work to be done. Those requiring more physical exertion are delegated to men while those which lend to the physique of women were also engaged by men, resulting in the interchanging roles of men and women both in reproductive and productive activities. This was clearly marked by their indigenous understanding of nature's way and generations of experience that a man's and a woman's person and sexuality greatly influence the productivity of plants and animals. In such a manner, the interplay of men and women in relation to production is deemed necessary to assure good harvest. Their native knowledge of the ecosystem parallels themselves to their practice of multicropping, believing that different kinds of plants, like humans, have different nutritional requirements. This practice, they believe, is a way by which the soil regenerates itself. Barangay [village] Nolasin is basically a family-centered community. Participation of members in community affairs is generally geared toward their particular interest, one that serves the survival and the well-being of community members (both men and women).