Linking land-use transition with gender-specific preferences in Northern Vietnam Grace B. Villamor and Delia C. Catacutan gracev@uni-bonn.de 6/22/2015 Grace B. Villamor (Uni Bonn) 1
Outline Introduction: forest transition Why gender? Objectives/Hypothesis Methods: mixed-method approach Results Conclusions gender 6/22/2015 Grace B. Villamor (Uni Bonn) 2
Forest/Tree-cover transition Meyfroidt and Lambin, 2008 Diversity of stakes hypothesis: Appreciation of tree cover and its associated ecosystem services varies according to gender and ecological knowledge
Introduction: Why gender? Gender stereotypes exist and prevalent Males Females More rational, active and aggressively market-oriented Agentic goals (i.e., self-assertive, self-expansion, urge to master, risk takers) Timid, shy and risk averse, conservative, and conservationoriented Communal goals (i.e., self-less, desire to be at one, less prone to competition) it can ignore or undermine the key interactions of socio-ecological systems affecting the processes of land-use change and ecosystem services provision. 6/22/2015 4
The gender equality goal needs to be linked to the other goals so there is synergy between the social and transformative concept of gender equality and the environmental and sustainable concepts that underpin this post-2015 framework. - Henrietta Meirs, Science Development 6/22/2015 Grace B. Villamor (Uni Bonn) 5
Gender differences shape multi-functionality of landscapes Steps in management cycle Knowledge and concepts of SES behavior and function Performance metrics of farm or SES Array of known alternate options Dealing with external agents Dealing with external sources of variability and change Empirical evidence of gender differentiation In Mali, a combined gender inclusive decision making with relational agro-ecological knowledge have the highest capacity for constructing adaptive soil and tree management strategies. Women are key stewards in the enhancement of agro-biodiversity and locationspecific crops. In Kenya, females harvest a specific tree species to provide green manure for soil restoration. In West Africa, a spatial-landscape arrangement with different soil-tree dynamics exists for male and females. Women s choices are less individually-oriented and more socially-oriented Women s choices are more oriented towards achieving multiple goals rather than a single aim. While men prefer high-value commodities for income security, women prefer lowvalue commodities that meet the household s dietary food requirements. Depending on the cultural and educational background, women tend to approach external agents offering new land-use options more positively than men. Men commonly engage in seasonal migration for jobs particularly in Africa and Asia. Due to the male out-migration, women are left to cope with subsistence farming and contribute to household food security. Villamor et al. 2014. COSUST
Gendered-LU decision making & multifunctionality: a (SEA) regional comparison Vietnam Equal share in decision making Philippines Patrilineal system Indonesia Matrilineal system How different inheritance systems affect the process of tree-cover transition and ecosystem services delivery?
Research questions How gender affects land use transition and multi-functionality of landscape? How gender differences in land-use decision making are captured? How do males and females differ in their responses to land-use options in a social setting where competing agents are promoting either conversion or conservation?
Forest transition: Vietnam Agricultural intensification pathway: (Meyfroidt and Lambin 2008) - well-defined land tenure rights - no decline in agriculture - no depopulation (growing population drives by increasing labor inputs) - marginal areas 6/22/2015 9
Method: Mixed-method approach Land use change/ ecosystem services Land use change/ ecosystem services Mixed-method approach: 3. Role playing games 2. Survey 1. Land-use intensity analysis Female interaction Male interaction 6/22/2015 10
Result: Land-use intensity Time interval: 2000-2010 2000 2005 2010 Land change (%) Land use % % % 2000-2005 2005-2010 Forest (protect) 23.5 44.7 35.3 21.2-9.4 Forest (prod.) 25.2 8.1 35.6-17.1 27.4 Bareland 35.6 30.1 5.8-5.5-24.3 Upland crops 10.1 12.1 1.0 1.9-11.1 Ricefield 0.4 0.4 1.6 0.1 1.2 Settlement 1.4 0.5 1.5-0.9 1.0 Perennial crops 0.0 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.0 Annual crops 0.0 0.0 14.9 0.0 14.9 Mixed-fruit garden 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.3 Rocky areas 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Built-up 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Water bodies 3.8 3.6 3.6-0.2 0.0 Source: MONRE The rate of change from protection forest to production forest is almost three times higher than the rate of change from production to protection forest 6/22/2015 11
Result: Land-use intensity Question: Which land-use transition are and? protection forest -> upland crops -> annual crops 6/22/2015 12
Variables Gender N Average Std. Dev Min Max Age Men 150 44 11.9 23 80 Women 151 40 10.3 20 64 Total 301 42 11.1 20 80 Dependency ratio Men 150 0.18 0.18 0 1 Women 151 0.18 0.18 0 0.5 Total 302 0.18 0.18 0 1 Education (number of year) Men 150 5.0 1.26 2 8 Women 151 5.2 1.36 0 8 Total 302 5 1.3 0 8 Labor availability Men 150 3.6 1.2 1 7 Women 151 3.3 1.2 1 6 Total 302 3.4 1.2 0 7 Number of children (#) Men 151 1.7 0.9 0 4 Women 151 1.7 1.18 0 11 Total 302 1.7 1.1 0 11 Household size Men 151 4.3 1.14 2 7 Women 151 4.1 1.26 2 7 Total 302 4 1.2 0 11 Gross income (1000vdn) Men 148 28,883 21,977 1,800 123,000 Women 151 26,771 44,543 1,200 518,600 Total 302 27,541 35,120 1,200 518,600 6/22/2015 13
Result: Land use preferences 1% 0% 5% 5% 5% 1% no answer to change rice 42% 50% 89% annual perennial mixed plantation forest 1% 1% (a) a) About 50% of the 302 respondents indicated to change land use, of which 46% (70) are women and 55% (83) are men. b) If profitability of land uses is considered, almost 90% of the respondents are to annual crops. By gender, about 88% (133) of women and 89% (134) men preferred annual crops. (b) 6/22/2015 Grace B. Villamor (Uni Bonn) 14
Result: Determinants of land-use decision Number of phones Dependency ratio Education (# of yr) Group membership Agroforest garden (ha) Household size Labor availability Landholding (ha) Gender (male) Male#no. of phones Moung commune Phong commune (N= 302; R 2 = 0.11) Odds ratio 6/22/2015 15
Result: Land-use decision s in group settings Men-only groups (3) per elevation Women-only groups (3) per elevation Year 0 Year 5 Mixed group per elevation Materials: Play roles, play money, contracts, colored cards, scoresheet For details of the game: Villamor (2014); Villamor and Van Noordwijk (2011) 6/22/2015 16
Result: Land-use decision s in group settings Question: Who changes to what land category? Midland Lowland Women converted to forest more (due to labor-related aspect or PFES) in midland Men converted to production forest more in both elevations Women preferred annual/industrial crop more than men in both elevations When mixed, agroforest gardens are preferred Women and mixed groups are 12% higher to accept offer to land-use change 6/22/2015 17
I. Lowland Result: Land-use decision s in group settings Trend of changes: Forest to Agroforest Prod n to Agroforest Fallow to Annual/ Sugarcane Prod n to Forest Annual to Sugarcane Fallow to Agroforest Prod n to Agroforest Prod n to Forest Prod n to Sugarcane 6/22/2015 18
II. Midland Result: Land-use decision s in group settings Trend of changes: Forest to Prod n Forest to Agroforest Fallow to Annual Forest to Agroforest Fallow to Annual Prod n to Annual Fallow to Agroforest Prod n to Agroforest Annual to Agroforest 6/22/2015 19
Observable trend Reflection protection forest -> upland crops -> annual crops Land use intensity analysis Labor, agroforest, household size, communication, etc Topography Preference change Context matters External actors 6/22/2015 20
Lessons learnt and conclusions Gender difference in the case of northern Vietnam is not straightforward. Requires a combination of methods to reveal the implicit differences Policies such as REDD+ should consider the gender-specific differences Annual and industrial crops are preferred by women while forests (esp. production forests) are preferred by men Power relation matters: e.g., Feminization of agriculture and its implication to ecosystem services 6/22/2015 21
gracev@uni-bonn.de THANK YOU 6/22/2015 Grace B. Villamor (University of Bonn) 22