Gender, Land, and Livelihoods in East Africa : Through Farmers’ Eyes.

In rural Africa and the Middle East, many ecosystems are on the verge of collapse. The interplay of social, ecological, and political-economic forces has compromised the ability of farmers to sustain their precious soil. As a result, farmers, and especially women farmers, face a constant daily struggle to survive. This book illustrates in rich detail the complexity and diversity of women's lives in Maragoli, western Kenya, as they work to sustain their soils and negotiate a plethora of competing demands and constraints in an increasingly stressful economic environment. With extensive use of personal narratives and photographs from the farmers of Maragoli, this book demonstrates that soil degradation is not simply a function of population pressure and ignorance; rather, it is embedded in gender relations and complex struggles at the local level. Interested readers will include researchers, academics, practitioners, and professionals in research organizations, development organizations, grass-roots organizations, and government working on issues of gender, soil management, land tenure, agricultural labour, income generation, and off-farm livelihood strategies in Africa and the Middle East. ""Contents"" ""Foreword"" ""Preface"" ""Dedication and Acknowledgements"" ""PART I: Introduction"" ""Chapter One: Introduction"" ""Conventional approaches to soil management and farming"" ""An alternative approach"" ""The organization of this book"" ""Chapter Two: Gender-based Research Methodology"" ""An appropriate cross-cultural research methodology"" ""The research journey"" ""Reflections on research as a dynamic political process"" ""Conclusions"" ""PART II: The Context"" ""Chapter Three: Maragoli in Context"" ""History"" ""Political-economy"" ""Culture and society"" ""Conclusions""""PART IIl: The Gendered Terrain of the Farm"" ""Chapter Four: Gender and the Micropolitics of Land"" ""Historical struggles over land"" """"Without land you are nobody"": contemporary meanings of land"" ""The contemporary micropolitics of land"" ""Contemporary struggles over land and meaning"" ""Conclusions"" ""PART IV: Gender and the Politics of Labour: Between Toil and Soil"" ""Chapter Five: The Diversity of Farmers' Gendered Experiences"" """"The Avalogoli Way"": ordering gender roles and responsibilities"" ""Marital status"" ""Class and social differentiation"" ""Age and changing life-cycle positioning""""Conclusions"" ""Chapter Six: Diverse Farming and Soil Management Practices: ""Don't You Know That Agriculture and Soils are the Same Thing?"""" ""The reinforcement of gendered boundaries: planting trees and hedges"" ""Digging trenches"" ""Managing livestock and using fertilizers"" ""Digging and clearing land for planting"" ""Growing cash and subsistence crops"" ""Conclusions"" ""PART V: Expanding the Terrain of Soils and Farming Analysis"" ""Chapter Seven: ""Walking Where Men Walk"": The Increasing Importance of Providing Cash"" """"Foolishness has got no medicine"": changing priorities in economically precarious times""""The exacerbation of cash requirements and the consequent intensification of women's labour"" """"Providing"" through multiple income-generating activities and occupations"" """"Kugurana"": the strategy of barter and exchange"" ""Conclusions"" ""Chapter Eight: Social Institutions: Invoking Elements of Custom, Creating Space to Maneuver"" ""Kinship relations: investing in reciprocal rights and obligations"" ""Social organizations"" ""Non-sanctioned social relations"" ""Conclusions"" ""Chapter Nine: Conclusion: Rethinking the 'Problem' of Soil Degradation and Sustainable Farming""""Enriching our understanding of the complexity of farmers' lives"" ""Enriching the interface between researchers and farmers through policy, research, and action"" ""Acronyms and Abbreviations"" ""Glossary"" ""Bibliography"" In rural Africa and the Middle East, many ecosystems are on the verge of collapse. The interplay of social, ecological, and political-economic forces has compromised the ability of farmers to sustain their precious soil. Consequently, farmers -- and especially women farmers -- face a constant struggle to survive.This book illustrates in rich detail the complexity and diversity of women's lives in Maragoli, western Kenya, as they work to sustain their soils and negotiate a plethora of competing demands an constraints in an increasingly stressful economic environment. With extensive use of personal narratives and photographs from the farmers of Maragoli, this book demonstrates that soil degradation is not simply a function of population pressure and ignorance; rather, it is embedded in gender relations and complex struggles at the local level.