Research Reports
A Study on Plans to Raise the Economic and Social Roles of the Women Farmers (Year 2 of 2)
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AuthorJeong, Eunmee
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Publication Date2013.12.30
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Original
Background of Research
Despite women farmers(WFs hereafter) today play more role as business managers than simple labor force, there are still various constraints for WFs in participating in rural affairs related decision making process. To promote socioeconomic activities of WFs, the role of system and practice that WFs face should be addressed as well as the sort of supporting institutions should be identified. Thus, it is necessary to review supporting system for WFs such as laws, system, and supporting institutions and propose policies WFs actually benefit from.
Method of Research
A questionnaire survey was conducted from September 10, 2013 to October 10, 2013 to examine the awareness of and satisfaction in policy for WFs, to evaluate supporting institutions, and to figure out WFs' demand toward the institutions. The target audiences were WFs, executives of WFs' associations, and public officials of supporting institutions. The survey for WFs collected the data of 1,067 WFs who are aged 19 years or more and the mode of survey was face-to-face interview method with a structured questionnaire. The survey for executives of WFs' associations collected the data of 179 executives from three associations by mail survey with a structured questionnaire. Lastly, the survey for public officials collected the data of 532 officials by online survey.
Meanwhile, the researches including 'Social Capital of Women Farmers', 'The Activities of Center for Women Farmers', 'Local Food Movement in Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do', and 'Social Status of Women Farmers and Institutional System' were commissioned to either domestic or foreign researchers working in related fields.
Research Results and Implications
WFs today are dedicating themselves to enhancing the sustainability of agriculture by means of senary industrialization which increases added value of resources in agriculture and rural community. However, it is true that constraints hindering WFs from participating in government project and decision making process still exist. The biggest obstacle to socioeconomic activities of WFs is heavy burden of labor. According to the result of survey, the reasons for inactiveness in socioeconomic activities are heavy burden of labor from both homemaking and farming and difficulty in seeking opportunity of additional income. As a result, reducing the WFs' labor enables them to enjoy higher quality of life and to create additional income from resources around them, so that rural community will be the good place to live for women.
Policy demand of WFs shows the reality of agriculture and rural community. Thus, by creating the system that each WFs' organization cooperates with each other and proposes policies representing regional identities or communal interests and local governments accept them, there will be organic connection between private and public bodies guaranteeing practical policy development.
First of all, the plan for working WFs is expanding current 'rural helper program'. However, the name should be 'rural intern program' instead. Also, the infrastructure of staying should be offered to enable migrated(or returned) farmers and urban labor. Second, through regional cooperative program such as food services program during farming season, expanding welfare program to reduce the burden of labor is required.
In addition, registering WFs' as co-managers should be encouraged. Also, in case of WFs registered as co-managers, incentives should be offered to foster more WFs as managers. With these ways, the legal status of WFs will be consolidated, and WFs recognize themselves as managers, as a result, WFs will be encouraged to actively participate in farm management. WFs' exercise of their ability as managers will invigorate senary industrialization, create a great working environment for themselves, as a result, create great rural communities to live.
Researchers: Eun-Mee Jeong, Yong-Ryel Kim, Seok-Doo Park, Woo-Tae Kim
Research period: 2013. 1. ~ 2013. 10.
E-mail address: jeongem@krei.re.kr
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