Agriculture transition and women's decision-making power in coffee-farming households in Lao PDR

The Lao government introduced a new period of economic liberalisation with the New Economic Mechanism (NEM) in 1986. The present study examineswhether market liberalisation and women’s participation translated into changes in women’s decision-making power in the coffee growing region of the Bolaven...

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Main Authors: Douangphachanh, Maliphone, Idrus, Rusaslina Binti, Phommavong, Saithong, Jaquet, Stéphanie
Format: Journal Article
Published: Univ. of Malaya 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114160
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author Douangphachanh, Maliphone
Idrus, Rusaslina Binti
Phommavong, Saithong
Jaquet, Stéphanie
author_browse Douangphachanh, Maliphone
Idrus, Rusaslina Binti
Jaquet, Stéphanie
Phommavong, Saithong
author_facet Douangphachanh, Maliphone
Idrus, Rusaslina Binti
Phommavong, Saithong
Jaquet, Stéphanie
author_sort Douangphachanh, Maliphone
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The Lao government introduced a new period of economic liberalisation with the New Economic Mechanism (NEM) in 1986. The present study examineswhether market liberalisation and women’s participation translated into changes in women’s decision-making power in the coffee growing region of the Bolaven Plateau in southern Lao PDR. While women have always been involved in coffee farming, their participation increased when the more labour-intensive arabica coffee plants were introduced to replace the less popular robusta variety in the region. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data, the study examines gender decision-making within coffee-farming households. The findings show an increase in women’s participation in decision-making with the introduction of the arabica coffee plants; however, men still hold higher decision-making power in farming households. While the NEM has brought about economic growth and provided better livelihoods for coffee farmers, this has not necessarily translated into women’s empowerment. Economic growth is not enough to bring about gender equality, and there is still a need for specific policy interventions.
format Journal Article
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institution CGIAR Consortium
publishDate 2021
publishDateRange 2021
publishDateSort 2021
publisher Univ. of Malaya
publisherStr Univ. of Malaya
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spelling CGSpace1141602025-11-11T18:51:21Z Agriculture transition and women's decision-making power in coffee-farming households in Lao PDR Douangphachanh, Maliphone Idrus, Rusaslina Binti Phommavong, Saithong Jaquet, Stéphanie decision making gender equality women's empowerment toma de decisiones igualdad de género potenciación de la mujer The Lao government introduced a new period of economic liberalisation with the New Economic Mechanism (NEM) in 1986. The present study examineswhether market liberalisation and women’s participation translated into changes in women’s decision-making power in the coffee growing region of the Bolaven Plateau in southern Lao PDR. While women have always been involved in coffee farming, their participation increased when the more labour-intensive arabica coffee plants were introduced to replace the less popular robusta variety in the region. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data, the study examines gender decision-making within coffee-farming households. The findings show an increase in women’s participation in decision-making with the introduction of the arabica coffee plants; however, men still hold higher decision-making power in farming households. While the NEM has brought about economic growth and provided better livelihoods for coffee farmers, this has not necessarily translated into women’s empowerment. Economic growth is not enough to bring about gender equality, and there is still a need for specific policy interventions. 2021-07 2021-07-01T09:42:20Z 2021-07-01T09:42:20Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114160 Open Access application/pdf Univ. of Malaya Douangphachanh, M.; Idrus, R.B.; Phommavong, S.; Jaquet, S. (2021) Agriculture transition and women's decision-making power in coffee-farming households in Lao PDR. Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 26(1) p. 49-71. ISSN: 1823-4127
spellingShingle decision making
gender equality
women's empowerment
toma de decisiones
igualdad de género
potenciación de la mujer
Douangphachanh, Maliphone
Idrus, Rusaslina Binti
Phommavong, Saithong
Jaquet, Stéphanie
Agriculture transition and women's decision-making power in coffee-farming households in Lao PDR
title Agriculture transition and women's decision-making power in coffee-farming households in Lao PDR
title_full Agriculture transition and women's decision-making power in coffee-farming households in Lao PDR
title_fullStr Agriculture transition and women's decision-making power in coffee-farming households in Lao PDR
title_full_unstemmed Agriculture transition and women's decision-making power in coffee-farming households in Lao PDR
title_short Agriculture transition and women's decision-making power in coffee-farming households in Lao PDR
title_sort agriculture transition and women s decision making power in coffee farming households in lao pdr
topic decision making
gender equality
women's empowerment
toma de decisiones
igualdad de género
potenciación de la mujer
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114160
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AT idrusrusaslinabinti agriculturetransitionandwomensdecisionmakingpowerincoffeefarminghouseholdsinlaopdr
AT phommavongsaithong agriculturetransitionandwomensdecisionmakingpowerincoffeefarminghouseholdsinlaopdr
AT jaquetstephanie agriculturetransitionandwomensdecisionmakingpowerincoffeefarminghouseholdsinlaopdr