Abstract:
To be formally in charge of commodities production contracts in agribusiness is a recent phenomenon for women in the Amazon region, despite their important role in the social reproduction of many households. Given the socially constructed historic asymmetry between men and women, the aim of this paper is to analyze whether the women's name on palm oil contracts in family farms has an impact on their social repositioning within both the domestic and the public sphere. In Pará women hold 20% of palm oil production contracts. The research was carried out in São Domingos do Capim (Pará) and involved open and semi-structured interviews with all women holding a contract. Observations were carried out in their places of residence and with regard to their social life. The main conclusions were: i) Palm Oil production contract-holding and cultivation management coincide in 10% of cases; ii) women's social repositioning occurs when the signing of contracts is associated to land ownership and associative and economic experiences; and iii) all women are involved in a process of social learning. However, only 10% achieved a new position.
Keywords:
Oil palm cultivation; women farmers; contract farming; Amazon region
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