BIBLIOGRAPHY
BEVERLY T. PEKAS. November 2006. Gender Roles in White Potato
Production in Paoay, Atok, Benguet. Benguet State University, La Trinidad,
Benguet
Adviser: Julia A. Solimen, Ph.D.
ABSTRACT
The study intended to identify gender roles in the productive, reproductive
and community managing activities among white potato farmers; identify
problems and to forward recommendations based on the results of the study.
Results indicate that in general, both genders share the different
productive and reproductive roles, with men dominating productive roles. On the
other hand, women dominate reproductive roles. Men have limited time for these
tasks, considering that their time is devoted to farm work.
Men are expected to perform many functions in white potato production,
partly because of their having hardier physiques, enabling them to carry heavier
loads and to perform tasks that require stronger efforts.
Access and control of resources such as land, agricultural inputs and tools
rests mainly on the males who are the main users. However, credit availment
and utilization of credit are partly the responsibility of women, because they bear
the responsibility of either paying back the loan or regulating spending of men.

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The leading problems identified are that the land areas for white potato
production are small. Another problem is the existence of gender bias in both
productive, reproductive and community politics roles.
It is recommended that the contributions of both genders in the production
be recognized. It is also recommended that gender research continue in the
production of other commodities and other gender concerns. Finally, it is
recommended that there be intervention to correct the gender bias in potato
production.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ii
 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS




Page
Bibliography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Background of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Statement of the Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Objectives of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Importance of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
REVIEW OF LITERATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Vegetable Industry in Atok and the Province of Benguet . . .. . . . . 10
Concepts on Gender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Problems in the GRF Approach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10
International, National and Local Policies on Gender . . . . . . . . . . 10
Gender Roles Among Potato Farmers in Buguias. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Conceptual Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Operational Definition of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Hypothesis of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
METHODOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Locale and Time of Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The Respondents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Instrumentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
iii
 

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Collection, Analysis and Interpretation of Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Demographic Profile of the Respondents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Productive Roles of Men and Women in White
Potato Production in Paoay, Atok . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Division of Labor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10
Access to and Control of Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10
Access and Control of Benefits from
Potato Production. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10
Reproductive Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Perception of Gender Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Community Managing Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Problems Encountered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. . . . . . . . 10
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
LITERATURE CITED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
APPENDICES
A. Questionnaire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
B. Protocol for On-Farm trial of Potato. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
iv
 

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INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Benguet province is endowed with a climate favorable to the
growing of semi-temperate vegetables because of its high elevation. The
relatively high elevation of many parts of Benguet is the reason why the
temperatures are lower than in the tropical lowlands; thus, semi-temperate
crops may be grown in the province. Farmers in the province use this
comparative advantage, so that Benguet is now the primary source of
semi-temperate vegetables in the country. Its proximity to the major
market transit point in Baguio City has also contributed to this reputation.
The favorable climate has also maintained an economy that is
predominantly agricultural.
Atok, one of the municipalities of Benguet, is one prime producer of
these semi-temperate crops. The municipality is traversed by the
Halsema Highway, which serves as the channel by which products are
transported to La Trinidad, Baguio City and beyond. Compared to the
other areas growing semi-temperate crops, Atok has a colder clime,
making it suitable for white potato. Many farmers in the municipality
therefore plant the crop. Many farmers of Paoay, a barangay in the
municipality, plant white potato.
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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However, the farmers have not yet attained the optimum production
of white potato because of some challenges and constraints that include
high cost of inputs and presence of pests and diseases, and challenges
related to the implementation of the GATT-WTO and the importation of
vegetables.
It helps that several agencies are involved in sustainable and
profitable white potato production. One of their strategies is to mainstream
gender issues into development initiatives, strategies, goals and targets
that require a comprehensive understanding of contextualized gender
dynamics.
However, no studies on gender roles of white potato farmers in
Atok have been undertaken to identify who does what activity. This is
needed to properly and effectively address gender issues and concerns,
thus this study.
The determination or documentation of the gender roles among
white potato farmers is consistent with the growing international, national
and local concern over gender in development issues. This study seeks
to contribute to the overall effort.
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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Statement of the Problem
The study sought to answer the following questions.
1. What is the demographic profile of men and women involved in
white potato production?
2. What are the productive roles and reproductive roles of men
and women in white potato production?
3. What are the perceptions of men and women on gender roles?
4. What are the problems encountered by men and women with
respect to their roles in white potato production?
5. What are the recommendations based on the findings of the
study?
Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study are the following:
1. To determine the demographic profile of men and women
involved in white potato production;
2. To identify the productive roles (division of labor, access to and
control of resources, access to and control of benefits of white potato
production); and the reproductive roles of men and women in white potato
production;
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3. To determine the perception of men and women on gender
roles;
4. To identify problems encountered by men and women involved
in white potato production; and
5. To suggest recommendations based on the findings of the
study.
Importance of the Study
Despite the many policies in the international, national and local
levels regarding empowerment of women, women in development, and
gender equality, there remains a dearth of available information on the
subject. Because of this situation, strategies and programs addressing
gender concerns are either non-existent or inappropriate. This study shall
attempt to provide information and recommend actions on the matter.
For researchers. The study of gender roles and their development
has evolved with the evolution of concepts with respect to women,
development and equality. Gender research has therefore likewise
adopted the different perspectives and approaches consistent with the
different concepts. The findings of the study can guide them in the
development of research processes with regard to gender, the
development of research methods and the identification of best practices.
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Aside from methods, the results of the study shall contribute to the
information databank on gender, and may serve as a reference for other
researchers.
For policy makers and planners. As previously mentioned, gender
policies remain inadequately translated into concrete programs or
activities. The results of this study may be used for the crafting of
responsive strategies and programs that effectively address gender
concerns. Based on the findings of the study, recommendations can be
drawn by planners and policy makers.


Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Vegetable Industry in Atok and the
Province of Benguet
At least 54 percent of the labor population of Atok is dependent on
agriculture and agriculture-related activities and two-thirds of the
province’s population live in rural areas that are directly and indirectly
dependent on agriculture and agricultural activities as source of income
and livelihood (CHARM Follow-up Project for the CAR, 2003). In the
main, there are 43,951 total farm households out of 65,854 households
where an average of 2-3 members assist in farming activities.
Benguet is a major producer and supplier of semi-temperate
vegetables. The major vegetables produced are cabbage, Chinese
cabbage, snap beans, carrots, white potatoes, chayote, garden peas,
cauliflower, and broccoli. The major market destinations of these
vegetables are Metro Manila, Pangasinan, and Pampanga. Other market
destinations include Laguna, Quezon, Bicol, Bulacan, La Union, Tarlac,
Batangas, Nueva Ecija, Ilocos, Cavite, Cagayan, Abra, Lucena and
Tagaytay (Pekas et al., 2002).
Atok is one of the municipalities of Benguet engaged in vegetable
production. It has eight barangays with a total area of 12,450.33 hectares
(DA-CAR, 2003). It is strategically located, as it is relatively near Baguio
City and the La Trinidad Trading Center. Among the vegetables produced
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in Atok are white potatoes as shown in Table 1. The average farm size is
0.2 - 5 hectares, which is either owned or leased. The average
landholding of a household is 0.133 hectares.
The widest agricultural area in Atok is planted with white potato.
Data from the Benguet Vegetable Commission (2003) study “Updating
Highland Vegetable Data Bank” indicate that a total area of 305 hectares
is planted to white potato.
The average yield per hectare for potato is 7 tons (Benguet
Vegetable Commission, 2003). A survey of the Baguio City Hangar
market and the La Trinidad Trading post in 2002 showed that the average
wholesale price per kilo is P13.29 and the average retail price per kilo is
P25.60 (Pekas et al., 2000) White potatoes can however be retailed at
higher prices, as expensive as P30 per kilo during the month of February
and as low as P15 per kilo in December. The wholesale price is highest in
May at P17 per kilo and lowest in November at P10 per kilo.
Production of white potato has not yet attained optimum levels
because of some challenges and constraints experienced by the farmers.
The white potato industry is not only affected by problems such as high
cost of inputs, and presence of pests and diseases, among others but is
also faced with the challenge of the harmful effects of the implementation
of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade-World Trade Organization
(GATT-WTO) as well as the entry of imported vegetables.
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Table 1. Total area (ha) and production (ton) of white potato in Atok, 2003
Commodity No.
of
Area planted
Production
Farmers
(ha.)
(ton)
1. White potato
843
305
2134
2. Cabbage
508
185
2,300
3. Chayote
548
169.8
7,597
4. Carrots
285
94.6
658
5. Garden pea
158
29
41
6. Snap beans
233
23
88
7. Chinese cabbage
21
4
33
8. Broccoli
1
.05
.2
9. Cauliflower
2
.13
.35
10. Lettuce
4
.14
1
11. Celery
89
17
214
12. Green onions
4
.09
.67
13. Pechay
46
.64
4
14. Sweet pepper
61
6.5
39
15. Cucumber
95
7.3
107
16. Tomato
68
5.2
84
17. Radish
69
17.94
98.51
Concepts on Gender
Sadie and Loots (1998), in a work entitled “RDP Projects in South
Africa - A Gender Perspective Analysis,” presented a comprehensive
discussion of gender. This work analyzed the South African experience in
the main, but it also extensively discussed developments in the
international scene, especially as to how the present prevailing concepts
on gender have evolved from the women’s rights movement in the past
century.
Development approach. Gender and development is the most
appropriate approach as far as the study is concerned. Sadie and Loots
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(1998) stressed that gender equality means that women and men have
equal opportunities to realize their individual potential, to contribute to their
country's economic and social development and to benefit equally from
their participation in society.
Sustainable development is achieved by having an understanding
of both men's and women's roles and responsibilities within the community
and their relations to each other. This approach, known as the gender
and development approach, recognizes that gender equality is not just a
women's issue, but also a goal that requires the participation of both men
and women (Sadie and Loots, 1998). The approach is alternatively
referred to as the gender approach.
Gender approach. The gender approach to development involves
not only an integration of women into development, but looks for the
potential in development initiatives to transform unequal gender/social
relations and to empower women (Sadie, 1998). The gender-based
approach is distinct in that it focuses on women and men, rather than
considering women in isolation.
Moser (1993) distinguished between three categories of work:
reproductive, productive and community work. Within these categories,
men and women generally fulfill different roles. These are the gender
roles of men and women. Moser (1993) suggested that women have triple
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roles (reproductive, productive and community managing), whereas men
fulfill double roles (the productive and community politics).
Problems in the GRF Approach
Critics noted two main problems in the GRF approach. First, the
assumption, that economic development has been generally beneficial
except for its negative impact on women, ignores the wealth of evidence
documenting the polarizing outcomes of development interventions for
men.
Linked to this first pitfall is the tendency of this framework to
overlook the complex ways in which gender and class hierarchies crosscut
each other. GRF often assumes that women constitute a homogenous
category with shared interests that planners can easily identify and act
upon. While there are a large number of issues on which women's
interests may converge (e.g., child custody; sexual harassment), there are
enough points of divergence to make the task of the planner using GRF a
difficult one.
International, National and Local
Policies on Gender
In the national and international scene, concern for gender-
sensitivity has taken more and more importance. For instance, the
Millennium Development Goals include women empowerment among its
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many goals. Among the most important international commitments are
those formulated in the 4th United Nations Conference on Women in
Beijing in 1995 and the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). CEDAW was
crafted to ensure that women enjoy equality, including social and
economic equality, in society.
The Philippine government is also bound to various other national
and international commitments and obligations compelling it to promote
gender equality in all its programs. The most notable national
commitments are included in the provisions of the Philippine Constitution
of 1987. These provisions recognize the fundamental equality of women
and men. The New Family Code of 1987 affirms women’s’ rights to own
property and to contract employment and credit without the need of their
husbands’ consent. The Philippine government also created the National
Commission on the Role of Filipino Women, empowering it as the primary
government agency responsible for the protection and promotion of the
rights of women.
The Philippines also ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination Against Women. As a consequence of the
ratification, the Philippines is required to make periodic reports to the
United Nations regarding its implementation of its obligations as stipulated
in the treaty. Further, in November 18, 1992, Republic Act 7192 entitled
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“An Act Promoting the Integration of Women as Full And equal Partners of
Men in Development and Nation Building and For Other Purposes”,
otherwise known as the Women in Development and Nation Building Act,
was passed into law. In its declared policies, the State recognizes the role
in nation building and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law
of men and women. The State is also expected to provide women rights
and opportunities equal to that of men. It must also provide equal access
of resources, including credit and training and it is also this act that
requires that a substantial portion of Official Development Assistance
funds support programs and activities for women.
In Atok, a resolution was passed by the Sangguniang Bayan for the
mainstreaming of gender in all programs. This concern of the local
government is a reflection of the growing awareness of and
responsiveness towards gender issues.
These treaties, laws and ordinances, however, have yet to be fully
implemented. Mechanisms, strategies and systems also have yet to be
developed and established for equal access of women to resources.
Particular to the white potato industry and other agricultural industries in
Atok and elsewhere in the Cordillera, empowering programs for women
concentrate on gender sensitivity trainings. Added to disparities in
responding to gender issues is the lack of available data on the gender
roles of potato farmers. If information is not collected in a way that
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enables the differences between men and women to be clearly stated, it is
likely that the gender specific needs and interests of women will be given
less attention-if not completely ignored.
Gender disparities are a major hindrance to sustainable economic
development. By mainstreaming gender issues in development initiatives,
strategies, goals and targets, these disparities could be adequately
responded to. However, mainstreaming requires a comprehensive
understanding of contextualized gender dynamics. The need for this
understanding also highlights the fact that there is a lack of sex dis-
aggregated data in many cases.
Economic development can be sustained with gender equality. The
Asian Development Bank’s gender and development policy affirms that
public policies and investments that promote the development of women
have economic payoffs in terms of higher economic growth rates,
improved productivity, reduced health and welfare costs, lower fertility,
reduced infant and maternal mortality, and increased life expectancy
(ADB.1998). Finally, gender inequalities exacerbate poverty (Bridge
Institute of Development Studies, 2001)
The second challenge, which is a major one, is the lack of sex dis-
aggregated data at the household level. This makes it impossible to
identify intra-household resource allocation by household member.

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Poverty data at the household level may well mask the true extent of
poverty among women.
Gender Roles Among Potato Farmers in
Buguias
Perception of gender roles. Women farmers in Buguias view
gender roles as culturally established, and as fate or necessity, As Batani
(2004) said:
fate in the sense that being a woman justifies
everything. Necessity in the sense that multiple roles are
adaptive mechanisms for survival. Either way, the bottom
line is that resignation and faith (not fear) in their husband’s
authority.
Batani further observed that the relationship between male and
female is a partnership that capitalizes on the strength of each, grounded
on mutual respect, with sensitivity to each other’s weaknesses.
Accessing resources and credit. Both husband and wife initially
share in deciding whether or not to contact “suppliers.” However, the one
who does the negotiating makes the final decision. Batani noted that it is
common for the wife to do the negotiating, as women have “the facility of
talking and haggling in matters like this.”
In cases where banks are the sources of credit, it is implied that the
decision-making involves both male and female, since banks require
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husband and wife to sign the loan agreement. This holds true also with
loans from credit cooperatives, which follow bank requirements.
Marketing. Batani et al. (2004) found that the marketing of produce
is based on who is able compute total sales; bring the produce to the
destination; who is familiar with a disposer or wholesale buyer; who is able
to market; and who can buy farm and household needs when they go
home.
Conceptual Framework
This study adopted the Gender Roles Framework (GRF). It is an
adaptation of Cloud's (1985) analytical framework for agricultural projects.
It involves developing an activity profile for the individuals performing
different productive activities by asking an open-ended series of questions
about the division of labor within the household. The second step
overlaps with the first but places more focus on access to and control over
resources (land, technology, labor, capital, etc.) and benefits (income,
assets, etc.). In each phase, planners are encouraged to ask questions
about the impact of activities on women's available time as well as on their
access to and control over productive resources and benefits.
The independent variable is the sex of the respondents. The
intervening variables include age, marital status, educational attainment,
membership in organizations, and access to research, development and
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extension services. The dependent variables are the gender roles that the
males and females fulfill or perform in the productive, reproductive and
community managing areas. These roles and the perception of both
genders of their roles may lead to better understanding of gender issues
and in the structuring of gender-responsive strategies, policies, and
development plans or agenda.
Independent
Intervening
Dependent
Variables
Variables
Variables




- Age,
Gender Roles
Sex
- Educational
- Productive
- Male
attainment,
Roles
- Female
- Marital status,
- Reproductive
- Membership in
Roles
organizations,
- Community
etc.,
Managing
- Access to RDE
Roles
services
Figure 1. The paradigm showing the relationship among the variables

Operational Definition of Terms
The terms in this paper are defined as follows.
1. Gender – is the difference between women and men within the
same household and within and between cultures that are socially and
culturally constructed and change over time. These differences are
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reflected in: roles, responsibilities, access to resources, constraints,
opportunities, needs, perceptions, views, etc. held by both women and
men and their interdependent relationships
2. Gender roles are functional responsibilities that are given to
men and women by society and are influenced by the cultural, political,
economical, religious and social situation
3. Gender mainstreaming is the process of assessing the
implications for women and men of any planned action, including
legislation, policies or programs, in any area and at all levels. It is a
strategy for making the concerns and experiences of women as well as
men an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of policies and programs in all political, economic and social
spheres, so that women and men benefit equally, and inequality is not
perpetuated
4. Productive roles refer to work done by both men and women for
payment in cash or kind. It includes both market production with an
exchange value, and subsistence/home production with an actual use-
value, but also a potential exchange value. For women in agricultural
production this includes work as independent farmers, peasant’s wives
and wage workers (Moser, 1993).
In this study, production refers to the activities that are necessary in
the white potato industry, including the following: varietal selection,
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sourcing out of planting materials, land preparation, basal fertilizer
application, planting, decision-making on planting date, side-dressing and
hilling up, pest and disease control, weeding, dehaulming, harvesting,
sorting, grading, packing, storing, hauling, transporting, marketing,
decision-making on market destination and pricing. These are the
activities that are necessary so that the potato crops will be converted to
cash, the goal of the potato farmer.
It also includes decision-making and activities on access and
control of resources and access and control of benefits from production.
5. Access and control of resources in this study refers to the
activities and processes that potato farmers undergo to utilize, procure or
augment the their resources. It includes decision-making on the utilization
of land; procurement and utilization of agricultural inputs; procurement and
utilization of tools/equipment/implements; availment and utilization of
credit; and income spending.
6. Reproductive roles as used in this study involves the care and
maintenance of the household and its members, including bearing children
and caring for them, food preparation, water supply, fuel collection,
shopping, housekeeping and family health-care.
7. Community-managing roles refer to activities in the community,
such as participation in community rituals and celebrations, and
participation in community organizations.
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Hypothesis of the Study
The following hypothesis was put forward for testing:
There is no significant relationship in the gender roles of men and
women in white potato production in Paoay, Atok, Benguet.

Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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METHODOLOGY
Locale and Time of Study
The study was conducted in Bonglo, Englandad, Olis and
Sayangan Paoay, Atok, Benguet, where potato is a major commodity
grown by the farmers. It was conducted on August-October, 2006.
The Respondents
The respondents were all farmers in Paoay, Atok, who grow white
potato. 35 males and 33 females were interviewed using a structured and
open-ended questionnaire to gather primary data. The population of white
potato farming households in Paoay, Atok, Benguet number 805.
Instrumentation
A structured and open-ended questionnaire was the main tool in
gathering the data. The questionnaire consisted of the following:
demographic data of the respondents; productive role; reproductive role;
community managing role; perception of roles; problems encountered with
the identified roles; and recommendations based on the findings of the
study.
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21
The questionnaire was pre-tested in Kapangan before it was
revised and finalized to include comments, suggestions not covered in the
questionnaire.
Purposive sampling was used to identify the respondents.
Collection, Analysis and Interpretation of
Data
Data were gathered through one on one interview with respondents
in their fields or in their homes using the prepared questionnaire.
Field observation was also done to validate and support individual
interview data.
Arithmetic mean, frequency counts, and percentages were used to
interpret the data and information gathered. The chi square test was the
statistical tool used in the determination of differences of the variables.

Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Demographic Profile of the
Respondents
Age. For the study, 68 respondents have been interviewed. Table
2 shows that a great majority of the respondents range in age from 38 to
54 years old. The youngest is 21 years old and the oldest is 71 years old.
During the interviews, it was learned that the youth, most of whom are
going to school, also helped in the farming activities when they could,
especially during vacation time.
Table 2. Distribution of respondents according to demographic profile
PROFILE FREQUENCY
PERCENT
Age (years)
21-37
15
22.1
38-54
43
63.2
55-71
9
13.2
Gender Male
35 51.5
Female 33
48.5
Civil Status
Married
56
82.5
Single 6
8.8
Widowed/Separated 2
3.0
Education
No Formal Education
10
14.70
Elementary
18
26.5
High
School
23
33.8
College/Post
Graduate
15
22.1
Ethnicity Kankanaey
49
72.1
Ibaloi

10
14.7
Mixed
(Kankanaey-Ibaloi)
7
10.3
Religion Roman
Catholic

22
32.4
Non-Roman
Catholic
42
61.8

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23
Sex. There were 35 male and 33 female respondents. While the
males readily agreed to being interviewed, the interviewers experienced
difficulty in getting female respondents to answer the interview questions.
These females reasoned out that they are minimally involved in potato
production.
Civil status. Almost all of the respondents are married and very few
are single, widows or widowers. The female respondent who is single
manages her farm separately from her male siblings who also manage
their own farms. She however performs the reproductive roles at their
common residence. One of the widowed respondents is known to have
no adult male in her household. She performs all the productive and the
reproductive roles most of the time. Sometimes, however, these women
farm managers hire laborers for farm work, especially for spraying. Their
doing so is not by their choice but rather by circumstance.
Ethnicity. Most of the respondents belong to the Kankanaey ethnic
group while some are Ibaloi and a few trace genealogies from both ethnic
groups.
Educational attainment. The respondents are heterogeneous in
terms of educational attainment. Many had secondary level education,
though some have not graduated. Some have had college education or
graduated college, and a few have had no formal education.
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24
Religious affiliation. It is interesting to note that a great majority of
the respondents are not Roman Catholics, and the rest are Roman
Catholics.
Productive Roles of Men and Women in
White Potato Production in Paoay, Atok
Division of Labor
Table 3 shows that the relationship between men and women’s
roles in production activities in white potato production markedly differ.
Generally, men do varietal selection, land preparation, basal fertilizer
application, and deciding on when to plant most of the time. A majority of
the male respondents indicated that they are experienced in and
knowledgeable of these activities. Another major reason is that it has
always been the tradition that the males were the one who do gardening
activities. Consequently, since they are the ones who manage the potato
farms, they are also the ones who plan the activities of the farm and
monitor the growth of the potato plants.
The perception of the existence of a “tradition” that men always
managed farms needs to be validated by research. The prevalence of this
impression however points to a conventional acceptance of the trend. We
must however note that commercial vegetable farming became an
economic activity beginning in the 1950s. It became more widespread in
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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25
the 1970s and 1980s. If since then the “tradition” was established, then
we might infer that the gender bias, i. e. the males are the managers,
developed during that time. Research has to be done however to prove or
disprove this thesis. Another point that needs to be understood are the
gender roles that men and women play in agricultural production prior to
commercial vegetable farming. The gender roles in pre-commercial
farming times may show the same trend of male management of
agriculture, so that the role stereotype may have long existed.
If the trend came with commercial vegetable farming, it would be
interesting to see how it came to be.
Sidchogan-Batani et al. (2004) found that in Buguias, a municipality
adjacent to Atok, decision-making in the production process, such as
varietal selection, used to be the domain of males. However, at the time
of their study in 2004, female members of farming households were
making varietal selection and other decisions.
The apparent contradiction in findings may actually be
complementary. Since decision-making is an extension of the overall role
of farm manager, gender may be immaterial. The case that Batani, et al.
cited was that of a 63-year old woman who has decided on her own what
to plant. However, Batani et al. did not mention if the case reflected the
norm or the marital status of the woman mentioned. The phenomenon of
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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26
a female taking on the role of farm manager, and thereby deciding on
what varieties to plant, is not an aberration. Indeed females may take on
the role of management in general, or in varietal selection in particular,
whether it is in Buguias or Atok.
Among the 33 female respondents in Paoay, Atok, six also
indicate that they are always involved in varietal selection. It should be
noted however that white potato production technology in many cases has
become routinary. Varietal selection is no longer a difficult decision, since
farmers have already identified varieties that are best suited to their
locality. Farmers in each sitio in Paoay plant the same variety, or varieties
with similar characteristics. Thus the decision on what variety to plant
may already have been pre-determined by practice and experience.
The case that Batani et al. referred to may have been of the same
nature. In fact they note that the decisions made by the woman were
based on experience and her observation of other farms. These findings
indicate that the farming process, and the decisions that go with it, are
already part of convention. They further note the agreement of the other
female respondents, “as one of the best schemes.” They thus inferred
that the technology has been so developed that choices like varietal
selection are more or les pre-determined.
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27
An interesting question is if the overall role of farm manager is
taken over by a female, since male household members, according to
Batani et al., “used to dominate the management of commercial farms.”
(Batani, et al., 2004)
Similar to the case cited by Batani et al., are two such cases among
the female respondents in Paoay, Atok. These women who also take on
the role of farm manager and supervisor, and thus make all decisions
attendant to potato production. One of these female farm managers in
Paoay was widowed, and the other one was single.
There were also seven others who indicated that they always
participate in deciding on what varieties to plant, although it may not be
inferred whether they make the decision alone.
Overall, however, roles markedly differ, that is, men manage the
potato farms and on the whole make the decisions. Results further show
that role differentiation in planting is significant. While both men and
women do this activity, men are always involved. This is a light activity so
that women are deemed physically able to participate, and since the
potatoes need to be planted at the same time, the involvement of both
genders ensures faster completion of the task.
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Table 3. Relationship between men’s role and women’s role in production
activities
PRODUCTION

PERCENT INVOLVEMENT
χ2
Prob
ACTIVITY
GENDER
Never
25
50
75
100
Value
%
%
%
%
Varietal Selection
Male
0
0
10
1
23

Female
4
5
13
2
9 15.8**
.003
Sourcing out of
Male
10
0
5
1
17

planting material Female
8
5
15
2
3 20.4**
.000
Land preparation
Male
0
1
9
3
20

Female
3
11
11
6
5 20.5**
.000
Basal Fertilizer
Male
0
2
7
6
17

application
Female
2
13
10
0
6 21.8**
.000
Planting
Male
0
1
15
4
14

Female
1
8
16
1
7 10.6*
.031
Decision on
Male
0
0
11
2
21

planting date
Female
4
7
13
2
6 19.5**
.001
Irrigation
Male
11
1
3
3
15

Female
9
8
5
0
3 17.2**
.004
Side-dressing and
Male
0
1
10
6
17

hilling up
Female
2
11
15
0
5 23.9**
.000
Pest and disease
Male
1
2
4
2
24

control
Female
16
8
4
1
4 31.4**
.000
Weeding
Male
1
6
11
4
12

Female
0
9
18
1
5 7.9ns
.093
Dehaulming
Male
5
3
11
5
10

Female
6
14
9
0
4 14.9**
.005
Harvesting
Male
0
7
9
2
16

Female
1
9
15
2
6 7.3ns
.122
Sorting
Male
0
3
10
5
16

Female
2
10
11
4
6 10.5*
.033
Grading
Male
0
3
11
5
15

Female
4
7
11
4
5 10.6*
.032
Packing
Male
3
3
8
5
14

Female
7
10
10
2
3 14.0**
.007
Storing
Male
0
3
6
4
21

Female
4
13
8
4
4 22.1**
.000
Hauling
Male
0
6
1
5
22

Female
13
9
5
2
4 30.0**
.000
Transporting
Male
0
3
7
3
21

Female
7
8
12
1
4 23.1**
.000
** - Highly significant * - significant ns – no significance

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The women, on the other hand, indicate in their responses that the
men are the ones involved in potato production and that since they stay at
home, they rarely participate in these activities. If they do help in basal
fertilizer application, it is only to distribute the fertilizer while the men do
the plowing in.
For crop management activities, highly significant gender
differentiation for application of irrigation, side-dressing and hilling up as
well as spraying for the control of pests and diseases. However there is
no significant gender differentiation for weeding.
Most men say that they are knowledgeable of and experienced in
these activities and expressed that they work faster than women.
Irrigation, side-dressing and hilling up as well as spraying are activities
that involve carrying and men reason out that carrying heavy loads is quite
difficult for women. Women confirm these in their responses, stating that
the reason they do not do these activities is that they entail heavy work. In
watering, for example, if they do participate in the performance of the task,
their involvement is limited to transferring the water hose. In side-dressing
and hilling up, they only distribute the fertilizer. If they do help in carrying
the fertilizer, they carry lighter loads.
Men mostly do spraying. Carrying a 16-liter knapsack is heavy for
women. There is also the recognition that the chemicals they spray are
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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30
poisonous and the perception that men are more resistant to these
chemicals. It may thus be said that it is also for health reasons that
women do not spray. Women do most of food preparation and cooking so
there is fear that the chemicals may contaminate food in case they do not
wash their hands well.
In some instances, however, women do the spraying. They do it
when spraying needs to be done and the males are not available, like
during times when husbands attend wakes, weddings and other social
functions outside the community.
Both men and women do weeding. Men consider weeding as a
light but tedious activity that needs patience and they say that women are
more patient when it comes to weeding. There is also the perception that
areas cleaned by women are cleaner or more finely done than those
cleaned by men. However, in cases where weed is controlled by the use
of weedicides, it is the men who do the spray the chemicals. Spraying is a
heavy job and it is perceived that the health of women is endangered, they
being deemed less resistant to chemicals.
Men are always involved in dehaulming. As shown in Table 3, the
chi-square value indicates a highly significant gender differentiation of
roles. The respondents claim that men are more experienced in and
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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31
knowledgeable of dehaulming aside from being able to do it faster.
Women, on the other hand, are not used to doing this activity.
Both however do harvesting since the potatoes need to be
harvested at the same time to meet a better price in the market and since
they have to be hauled at one time. Both male and female are
knowledgeable of and experienced in the harvesting activity. However,
when laborers are hired to help, men need to be around to supervise to
make sure that harvesting is done right and that wastage or spoilage will
be minimized. This underlines the dominant role of the men in managing
the potato farm, for even as respondents of both genders agree that
harvesting is within both their knowledge and experience, the men are
expected to do the supervision. This gender differentiation also implies
that the laborers hired expect the men to do the supervision.
Supervision is not necessarily an exclusive male role. However,
among the potato farmers in Paoay, Atok, Benguet, it is the men who do
the supervision.
The post harvest activities, that include packing, storing, hauling
and transporting entail carrying heavy loads. In these activities, the roles
of men markedly differ from that of women. Men find that carrying heavy
loads is difficult for women. The women respondents state this as the
reason why they seldom get involved in these activities. In instances when
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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32
women carry a load of potatoes, they carry only what they can bear. For
this reason, men do these activities faster than women.
There is also significant gender differentiation of roles in sorting and
grading activities, indicating that the men mainly do these activities.
Men always do marketing activities. As Table 4 shows, there is
highly significant gender differentiation of roles. The reason stated by the
respondents is that men know more how to negotiate or do sales talk than
women. Thus, they are not easily swindled. Personal relationships or a
friendship with buyers is another factor that is considered.
Another reason is that it is the men who usually transport the
potatoes from the farm to the La Trinidad Trading Post or to the market in
Baguio City. The respondents say that it is the men who transport the
produce to the market because unloading the potatoes is heavy work that
is more suited to the hardier male physique. Generally being the farm
managers, the men know what supplies to purchase and take back home
as back load.
In one case, however, the female is a Kankanaey and the male is
an Ibaloi. It is the woman who does the marketing, because she is not
“shy”. There is the social expectation that the Ibaloi are shy or more
withdrawn and the Kankanaey more outgoing, thus this stated reason.
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33
The reasons cited by respondents corroborate the observation of
Batani, et al. (2004):
the decision as to who takes the produce to the market is
determined by circumstances that include the ability to
compute total sales; bring the produce to the destination;
familiarity to a disposer or wholesale buyer; those able to
market; and those who can buy farm and household needs
when they go home.
Table 4. Relationship between men’s role and women’s role in marketing
activities
MARKETING
PERCENT INVOLVEMENT
χ2

ACTIVITY
GENDER Never 25
50
75
100
Value Prob
%
%
%
%
Marketing
Male
0
2
6
3
23

Female 4
8
12
4
5
21.3** .000
Market
Male
0
2
5
2
25

destination
Female 6
7
11
4
4
26.9** .000
Pricing
Male
0
2
8
2
22


Female 7
8
11
3
4
23.7** .000
** - Highly significant * - significant ns – no significance

Access to and Control of Resources
Decision making on the utilization of land. While husband and wife
usually own the land areas for potato production, Table 5 shows that there
is a highly significant difference between sexes where decision on the
utilization of the land is concerned. Men almost always are the ones who
decide on this. This is so since the men are the ones who manage the
farm aside from being knowledgeable of and experienced in potato
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34
production activities; thus, the wife entrusts this decision to him. Some
women however argue that since both own the land, then they should also
decide with the husband. Or in some cases, since the wife is the one more
knowledgeable of marketing, she helps in the decision-making.
Rovillos’ (1996) data suggested that the decision on the use and
disposal and therefore control over the land ultimately rests on these
considerations: first, the question of who is the primary user of the
resource, and second, who owns the resource. The findings however
contradict the findings of Casambre et al. (1992); Jefremovas, 1992) when
they stated that there are no socio-cultural constraints against women’s
control over land.
In Paoay, Atok, while use and disposal of land is a consensual
matter, the user of the land, or the male, decides over the utilization of the
land.
Table 5. Relationship between men’s role and women’s role in decision
making on the utilization of land area
DECISION

PERCENT INVOLVEMENT
χ2

MAKING
GENDER Never 25% 50% 75% 100% Value Prob
Utilization of Male 1
0
10
5
17


land area
Female
4
9
12
1
7
17.8** .001
** - Highly significant * - significant ns – no significance

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35
Agricultural inputs and tools, equipments and implements. Table 6
and Table 7 show that the role of men and women markedly differ on the
procurement of agricultural inputs and agricultural tools/equipment and
implements, but do not differ in deciding when and where to utilize
tools/equipments and implement. Men being in control of the farm also are
more knowledgeable of what are needed, more familiar with specifications
and the volume of inputs needed as well as the quality.
Another reason is that since they also transport the potatoes, the
men buy inputs as well as tools as back load when they go home.
These results corroborate the observation of Rovillos that men had
control over inputs and tools since it is the men who are primarily engaged
in gardening. The respondents explain that men decide on the use and
control of inputs and tools because they primarily do the task of applying
the same. Therefore, control over resources-land, tools and inputs-also
reflects the existing division of labor. The decision on how to dispose or
use, and therefore control a particular resource, hinges on who mainly
carries out the specific activity where the said resource is used.
In Paoay, Atok, the men and women do not significantly differ in
their involvement in the decision-making on where the tools will be used.
This implies common and similar knowledge of how and when the tools
are used.
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Table 6. Relationship between men’s role and women’s role in the
procurement of agricultural inputs
PROCURE-

PERCENT INVOLVEMENT χ2

MENT
GENDER Nev
25
50
75
100
Value
Prob
ACTIVITY
er
%
%
%
%
Procurement of Male
0
0
7
1
26


agricultural
Female
4
11
12
2
4
32.8** .000
Input
Decide time
Male
0
0
5
2
27


and place of
Female
4
13
10
2
4
55.7** .000
procurement
Decide time
Male
2
0
4
3
23


and place
Female 5
11
7
1
6
24.0** .000
where
to utilize
inputs
** - Highly significant * - significant ns – no significance
Table 7. Relationship between men’s role and women’s role in the
procurement of tools/equipment/implements
PROCURE-

PERCENT INVOLVEMENT χ2

MENT
GENDER
Never
25
50
75
100
Value Prob
ACTIVITY
%
%
%
%
Tools/
Male
1
0
3
0
30

equipment
Female 9
10
8
1
4
39.5** .000
procurement
Tools/
Male
0
0
3
1
28

equipment
Female
3
4
5
1
17
10.1*
.038
utilization
Deciding when
Male
0
1
3
1
28

and where to
Female 7
11
8
2
5
34.0** .000
buy tools/
equipment
Deciding when
Male
0
1
3
2
26

and where to
Female
2
4
6
2
15
7.6ns
.106
utilize tools
** - Highly significant * - significant ns – no significance

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37
Credit availment as well as deciding how much and where to avail
of and utilized credit is done by men. They are the managers of the farm,
thereby are more knowledgeable of what are needed in the farm and what
and when the capital is needed. As shown in Table 8, the gender roles
significantly differ. However, women sometimes get involved in the
decision, since both will be ultimately responsible for paying back the loan.
This shared responsibility is supported further by the reasoning given by
some respondents that the women are involved in the decision making to
make sure that the loaned amount is spent on capital for potato farming.
The female role in credit availment and utilization is therefore regulatory in
character.
Table 8. Relationship between men’s role and women’s role in the
decision making on credit
CREDIT

PERCENT INVOLVEMENT
χ2

CONCERN
GENDE
Never 25
50
75
100
Value Prob
R
%
%
%
%
Availment of
Male 0
0
15
0
13


credit
Female 2
6
16
0
6
10.6*
.014
Credit amount Male
0
0
18
0
11

Female 2
6
16
0
5
10.4*
.016
Credit
Male 0
0
19
0
11


utilization
Female 2
6
16
0
5
10.5*
.016
** - Highly significant * - significant ns – no significance
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38
Access and Control of Benefits from
Potato Production.
The respondents consider the income from potato production to be
the income of both husband and wife. As shown in Table 9, there is no
significant difference in the access and control of benefits from white
potato production, such that the income could be accessed and spent by
either or both husband and wife. There is also the reasoning that
traditionally, married couples have an arrangement that the father works
and the mother raises the children. The income of the father is a joint
income, and among the privileges in the arrangements is a social security
benefit that it is as if the mother had earned income. As Rovillos (1996)
observed in Bineng, there were no structural conditions that hindered
women’s access to productive income from paid work.
Table 9. Relationship between men’s role and women’s role in decision
making on income spending
DECISION

PERCENT INVOLVEMENT
χ2

MAKING
GENDER Never 25
50
75
100
Value Prob
%
%
%
%
Income
Male 0
1
21
1
11


spending
Female 0
2
23
1
5
2.5ns
.468

** - Highly significant * - significant ns – no significance

There is gender bias in productive roles and in the access to and
control of resources. The participation of women in the productive
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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39
process is restricted by the “tradition” that men have always been the
manager of farms, which gives men the power to decide on many aspects
on their own. Women can manage farms, too. In fact, there are examples
of women farm managers in Paoay.
There is also the impression that the women are less resistant to
chemicals, which is not true. With proper precautions in the handling of
the chemicals, the risks are substantially limited or altogether eradicated,
both for men as with women. This gender bias is also reflected in the
numerous references to the physical weakness of women as compared to
men. The solution to this physical weakness should be the development
of tools, implements and technology that is better suited to women. Such
tools, implements and technology would empower the women and remove
their gendered position in the productive process.
Further, the impression that men are more experienced and
knowledgeable in certain tasks implies that the women could not learn the
knowledge or learn from their experience with the same proficiency.
Reproductive Roles
Table 10 shows the reproductive roles: household maintenance
such as house cleaning, doing the laundry, and cooking; child care/rearing
to include tasks as feeding and bathing children, helping children with their
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40
homework, attending PTA meetings, bringing children to school, bringing
children to the clinic when they get sick, giving children allowance and
disciplining children. Reproductive roles also include decision-making on
extent of education of children, where the children will go to school, and
number of children to have.
The table shows that for household maintenance tasks, the women
have the sole responsibility of tasks in household maintenance because
women mainly stay at home while men do the heavier activities for potato
production. Men therefore do not have time for household chores.
Among the reasons cited by the respondents is that women clean better
than men. For marketing, since the woman is always at home, she knows
better the needs of the home. Laundry however is traditionally not done by
men except in rare cases as when women give birth. Both can do cooking
as long as men have time; otherwise, women cook so that men can take a
rest after a hard day’s work in the field.
The result also shows a highly significant difference between male
and female roles in child care/rearing tasks such as feeding and bathing
the children, giving allowance to the children and deciding how many
children to have. Women who are always in the house have the time to
feed and bathe the children a well as give allowance to the children. Men
may help if they have the time to spare from farming activities. Women are
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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41
usually the ones who decide on how many children to have as giving birth
is dependent on their health. Men sometimes help in the decision since
wife and husband consult each so that they will only have the number of
children that they can afford to support and still live comfortably.
There is no significant difference in the roles of men and women in
activities such as attending PTA meetings, bringing children to school,
deciding where the children will go to school, deciding on the extent of
education of children and disciplining of children. These tasks are shared
by both male and female genders. Attending PTA meetings is an
occasional activity so whoever is free at that time is the one who attends
or whoever is more socially active and not “shy” attend PTA meetings. The
decision on the extent of the education of children involves money matters
so both have to decide so that the children will go to school only if the
parents can afford. Both male and female are also involved in disciplining
children to insure that nobody is spoiling the children and that the children
grow to be well disciplined.
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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42
Table 10. Relationship between men’s role and women’s role in the
reproductive activities
REPRODUCTIVE

PERCENT INVOLVEMENT
χ2

ACTIVITY
GEN-
Ne-
25
50
75
100
Value Prob
DER
ver
%
%
%
%
House cleaning
Male
11
11
9
2
1

Female
1
0
5
5
22 40.9**
.000
Marketing
Male
7
8
15
2
2

Female
1
1
9
7
15 24.2**
.000
Laundry
Male
13
8
8
1
4

Female
1
1
2
9
20 36.4**
.000
Cooking
Male
7
8
10
6
2

Female
1
0
7
7
18 25.9**
.000
Child rearing
Male
10
8
10
3
0

Female
3
0
9
5
15 27.3**
.000
Feeding children
Male
11
6
11
1
0

Female
3
3
6
5
14 22.3**
.000
Bathing children
Male
14
5
10
0
0

Female
5
2
4
5
14 27.1**
.000
Helping children with Male
9
4
11
2
3

homework
Female
3
2
16
2
8 6.8ns
.146
Attend PTA meeting Male
7
5
11
3
4

Female
5
1
12
3
11 6.2ns
.181
Bring children to
Male
16
4
6
0
2

school
Female
13
3
6
0
8 3.9ns
.263
Decide where
Male
3
1
25
2
0

children go to
Female
3
1
20
2
6 6.5ns
.162
school
Decide on extent of
Male
3
1
24
2
1

children’s
Female
1
1
22
2
6 4.6ns
.326
education
Giving allowance to
Male
8
2
19
0
1

children
Female
1
1
13
4
13 21.1**
.000
Bringing children to
Male
8
10
10
1
2

clinic when sick
Female
1
1
12
4
14 23.8**
.000
Decide on how
Male
5
1
23
0
1

many children to
Female
2
0
22
0
8 7.7*
.053
have
Discipline children
Male
3
1
23
0
2

Female
0
2
21
2
5 6.7ns
.153
Takes over
Male
2
1
10
0
15

Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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43
REPRODUCTIVE

PERCENT INVOLVEMENT
χ2

ACTIVITY
GEN-
Ne-
25
50
75
100
Value Prob
DER
ver
%
%
%
%
reproductive work
Female
1
0
2
0
0 4.3ns
.230
** - Highly significant * - significant ns – no significance
There is also gender bias in the performance of reproductive roles.
Foremost is the impression that men could not perform many of the
reproductive roles as well as the women. Of course roles like childbearing
are non-transferable, but men could perform many of the other
reproductive roles. This makes the women the managers of the
household.
Coupled with the gender bias that men are the farm managers, this
gender bias effectively assigns the sexes to different roles.
Perception of Gender Roles
Productive roles. Table 11 shows that respondents perceive that
their performance of productive roles should not differ significantly except
for side-dressing and hilling-up which they perceive should be done more
by men. The respondents view that all the activities can be done by both
men and women except that traditionally men do work in the garden while
women do household chores. Both male and female respondents see that
both could do all the activities.
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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44
Table 11. Relationship between men- and women-perceived roles in
white potato production


PERCENT INVOLVEMENT
χ2
ACTIVITY
GENDER Female More
Both More Male Value Prob
Only
Female
Male Only
Varietal Selection
Male
0
0
23
3
7

Female 3
0
24
3
3
4.6ns
.202
Land Preparation
Male
0
0
17
7
9

Female 2
0
15
13
3
6.9ns
.074
Basal fertilizer
Male 0
1
19
4
9


application
Female 1
2
20
7
3
5.2ns
.270
Sourcing out of
Male 0
0
16
2
10


planting material
Female 1
2
21
5
3
8.7ns
.120
Planting Male
0
1
28
1
1


Female 1
2
23
5
1
4.5ns
.345
Decision on planting
Male 0
0
24
3
6


date
Female 1
3
21
4
4
4.7ns
.315
Irrigation Male
0
0
14
7
5

Female
1
3
15
6 2
5.4ns
.250
Side-dressing and
Male 0
1
30
0
1


hilling up
Female 2
0
22
7
2
11.6*
.021
Pest and disease
Male 0
0
7
1
25


control
Female 0
0
8
7
18
5.7ns
.058
Weeding Male
0
3
26
1
2


Female 0
0
24
4
5
6.2ns
.104
Dehaulming Male 0
2
23
1
3


Female 0
0
19
3
8
6.6ns
.131
Harvesting Male
0
1
29
1
2


Female 0
0
28
2
2
1.3ns
.721
Sorting Male
0
1
28
1
2


Female 0
0
26
3
3
2.3ns
.518
Grading Male
0
1
28
1
3


Female 0
0
27
2
4
1.5ns
.684
Packing Male
0
1
23
3
5


Female 0
0
21
4
8
1.9ns
.591
Storing Male
0
1
15
5
12

Female
0
0
18
5 10
1.4ns
.693
Hauling Male
0
0
6
5
22


Female 0
0
6
4
22
0.1ns
.953
Transporting Male 0
0
10
4
18


Female 0
1
11
3
18
1.2ns
.759
Marketing Male
0
0
21
2
8


Female 2
5
19
3
3
9.6*
.049
Market destination
Male
0
0
25
2
6

Female 0
4
23
3
3
5.3ns
.152
Pricing Male
0
0
20
2
7


Female 0
4
22
3
4
4.9ns
.181
** - Highly significant * - significant ns – no significance
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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45
This result points to the existence of gender bias. It would seem
that the roles are being differentiated although there is perceived equality
in the ability of both genders to perform the roles. At present, the belief
that there is already “tradition” implies an acceptance of the gender bias.
Reproductive roles. Table 12 shows that men and women share the
perception that household maintenance should be done by both genders,
except cooking where it is perceived to be women’s work. This is so since
they are always in the house. They maintain that all these activities can
both be done by male and female and that they are activities that are
never solely for men only or for women.
Child care/rearing is also perceived to be a shared responsibility of
both male and female except in bathing the children where it is perceived
should be done more by women. They cited that children prefer their
mothers to bathe them for their “tender loving care.” Also, bathing is done
in the morning when the fathers are working already in the field.
The results show that reproductive tasks should be widely shared
by male and female respondents.
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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46
Table 12. Relationship between men- and women-perceived involvement
in the reproductive activities
REPRODUCTIVE
PERCENT INVOLVEMENT
χ2

ACTIVITY
GENDER Female More
Both More Male Value Prob
Only
Female
Male Only
House cleaning
Male
6
7
20
0
0

Female
14
7
12
0
0 5.2ns
.074
Marketing
Male
7
6
20
0
0

Female
8
8
16
0
1 1.8ns
.616
Laundry
Male
7
9
17
0
0

Female
11
9
12
1
0 2.8ns
.432
Cooking
Male
4
5
24
0
0

Female
9
10
12
2
0 9.6*
.022
Child rearing
Male
4
7
21
0
0

Female
8
11
14
0
0 3.6ns
.165
Feeding children
Male
5
5
20
0
0

Female
10
11
11
1
0 7.4ns
.060
Bathing children
Male
4
5
21
0
1

Female
10
11
11
1
0 9.9*
.042
Helping children
Male
3
5
24
0
0

with homework
Female
4
3
25
1
0 1.6ns
.648
Attend PTA
Male
0
3
27
1
1

meeting
Female
5
2
26
0
0 7.2ns
.125
Bring children to
Male
3
5
21
0
2

school
Female
4
2
23
1
1 2.8ns
.583
Decide where
Male
0
2
29
0
1

children go to
Female
3
1
28
0
1 3.3ns
.343
school
Decide on the
Male
0
2
30
0
0

extent of

children’s
Female
3
1
28
0
1 4.4ns
.223
education
Giving allowance Male
1
3
28
0
0

to children
Female
6
5
22
0
0 4.8ns
.092
Bringing children
Male
2
5
25
0
0

to clinic when
Female
7
8
18
0
0 4.6ns
.100
sick
Decide on how
Male
0
3
29
0
0

many children
Female
4
1
28
0
0 5.0ns
.082
to have
Discipline
Male
0
2
30
0
0

Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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47
REPRODUCTIVE
PERCENT INVOLVEMENT
χ2

ACTIVITY
GENDER Female More
Both More Male Value Prob
Only
Female
Male Only
children
Female
3
1
27
2
0 5.5ns
.140
** - Highly significant * - significant ns - no significance
These findings tally with the findings of Rovillos and Casambre, et
al. (1992) that in the Cordillera there is no pronounced tendency to divide
reproductive functions between male and female.
Community Managing Roles
Participation in Community rituals/ barangay affairs /social affairs.
Both male and female respondents participated in community rituals,
affairs and religious affairs. As shown in Table 13 there is no significant
difference in the participation of men and women in community affairs.
The respondents participate in these for socialization and to have a sense
of belongingness. There is also no significant difference on who decides
on whether or not to participate in rituals, barangay and social affairs.
Table 13. Relationship between men and women involvement in
community rituals

GEN-
PERCENT INVOLVEMENT
χ2

ACTIVITY
DER
Never 25
50
75
100
Value Prob
%
%
%
%
Participate in
Male 0
0
13
6
14


rituals
Female 0
1
14
2
5
5.3ns
.150
Who decides to Male
1
0
6
5
19

participate
Female 1
0
11
1
9
6.4ns
.095
** - Highly significant * - significant ns – no significance
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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48

Participation in Community Organizations. Table 14 shows that
there is no significant difference in the participation of men and women in
community organizations such as farmers’ cooperatives, farmers’
associations, and savings and credit groups. So both male and female can
become members to be able to benefit from these. There is however a
highly significant difference as to who decides to participate. The
respondents say that since there is money involved when one becomes a
member, the men therefore decide on participation.
Table 14. Relationship between men and women involvement in
community organization


PERCENT INVOLVEMENT
χ2

ACTIVITY
GEN-
Never 25
50
75
100
Value Prob
DER
%
%
%
%
Participate in
Male
0
0
8
6
17

community
Female
2
1
9
3
8
6.2ns
.181
organization
Who decides
Male
0
0
6
4
21

to participate Female 2
0
13
2
6
12.7** .005
** - Highly significant * - significant ns - no significance
Problems Encountered
Two problems of males and females with respect to their gender
roles stand out.
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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49
Small landholdings. The areas being farmed by respondents have
small land areas. The men are enough to work the farm, leaving the
females to do household chores and child rearing activities and to help in
garden activities during their free time. This leaves the women with some
free time to engage in other productive activities. However, there are
limited opportunities available to women.
It must however be noted that limited economic opportunities is a
problem that also affects men. It is a problem that does not trouble only
white potato farmers, either. Economic problems such as this are national
in character. Still, it has been noted many times that economic woes
affect women differently, and in many cases affect them more.
Existence of gender bias. The results of the study point to gender
bias in the performance of productive and reproductive roles. Gender bias
has limited the participation of women in farm activities and the
participation of men in household activities. The women respondents
expressed that they want the men to more involved in reproductive work
and the men expressed that they want the women to be more involved in
productive work.
A related problem is that males are the ones involved in community
political affairs which males find time-consuming and a disturbance of
work in the garden. Females rarely participate in these community
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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50
political roles. This reflects gender bias in the classic sense. Moser
(1993) said:
Community work involves the collective organization
of social events and services, including local political
activities. Again, both men and women engage in community
activities, but a gender division of labor also prevails here. A
distinction is made between community managing activities
and community politics. The former entails activities such as
organizing the collective provision of food, basic services,
education or health-care. It is regarded as an extension of
women’s reproductive role and is thus often done voluntarily.
Community politics is the public role of organizing and
decision-making at community level. While women may
participate in this, men usually have the decision-making
power.

Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

---

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
The study aimed to determine the demographic profile of men and
women involved in white potato production; to identify the productive roles
(division of labor, access to and control of resources, access to and
control of benefits of white potato production); and the reproductive roles
of men and women in white potato production; to determine the perception
of men and women on gender roles; to identify problems encountered by
men and women involved in white potato production; and to suggest
recommendations based upon the findings of the study.
The respondents were the white potato farmers in Paoay, Atok,
Benguet. The sample size is composed of 35 males and 33 females.
A survey questionnaire was the tool used in gathering data.
The salient findings of the study include the following:
1. Majority of the respondents range in age from 38 to 54 years
old. Almost all of the respondents are married and very few are single,
widows or widowers. Most of them belong to the Kankanaey ethnic group
while some are Ibaloi and a few trace genealogy from both ethnic groups.
Many had secondary level education, though some have not graduated,
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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52
some with college education or graduated college, and a few have had no
formal education.
2. Men perform most productive roles in potato production, and the
women perform reproductive roles. The men act as farm managers and
thereby make the decisions in the farm operations and are involved in all
activities. This managerial role extends to access to and control over
resources. On the other hand, the women are the homemakers, and so
are involved in all reproductive activities. However, there are some
productive roles like weeding and harvesting that women also perform;
and some reproductive roles like child rearing and discipline that the men
also perform.
3. The respondents perceive that their performance of productive
roles should not differ except for side-dressing and hilling-up. which they
say should be done more by men. Household maintenance should also be
done by both genders, except for cooking where it is perceived to be
women’s work. Child care/rearing is also perceived as should be
performed by both men and women, except in the bathing of children
which should be done more by women.
4. Problems identified include the small landholdings of the
farming households and the dominance by men of community political
roles.
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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53
5. The recognition of the contribution of both genders in the
performance of different productive and reproductive roles in potato
farming households is recommended. Additional research on gender
roles is also recommended.
Conclusions
The following conclusions are drawn from the findings of the study:
1. Majority of the respondents range in age from 38 to 54 years old
and are married. They engage in potato farming due to the lack of
economic opportunities available.
2. Men perform most productive roles in potato production, and the
women perform most reproductive roles. There is gender bias in the
assignation and performance of both productive and reproductive roles.
3. The respondents perceive that productive and reproductive
roles could and should be done by both sexes. These perceptions
underline the existence of gender bias. Women should be more involved
in farm management and men should be more involved in household
management.
4. Problems identified include the small landholdings of the
farming households and the dominance by men of community political
roles.
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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54
Recommendations
Based on the results and conclusions, the following are
recommended:
1. Recognition of the participation of both genders in white potato
production. As men and women farmers' knowledge, skills and practices
contribute to production of white potato and thereby to sustainable
agriculture, their different contributions must be recognized and respected.
An analysis and understanding of men and women farmers' differential
roles and responsibilities in white potato production, as well as the intrinsic
value of their knowledge, is crucial to the solution of situation specific
problems and to the provision of appropriate and targeted support.
It should be noted that productive, reproductive and community
managing roles of the household are not exclusive of each other, but
rather complement each other.
2. Continuing gender research. There is a need to pursue
additional research on gender. Gender roles in the production of other
vegetables such as carrots, cabbages, and other commodities should be
studied. Gender roles in traditional agriculture have also to be studied, as
it serves as the bases of the development of current gender roles and
gender bias. It could be informative if other research methods recognizing
the uniqueness of gender research were used. Of particular interest is the
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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55
need to determine the absence or presence and magnitude of gender
oppression.
There is also a need to evaluate the impact of gender policies and
intervention, as well as the appropriateness of intervention strategies.
3. Intervention to correct gender bias. The gender bias that exists
in the performance of productive, reproductive and community politics
roles needs to be corrected, so that the women would participate more in
farm work and management, and the men would participate more in
household work and management.

Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

---

LITERATURE CITED
ADB.1998. Gender and Development. Manila.
BENGUET VEGETABLE COMMISSION. Office of the Provincial
Agriculturist. Updating Highland Vegetable Data Bank.

Municipality of Atok Volume 1.April 2003
BRIDGE INSTITUTE OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES. 2001. Briefing
Paper on the Feminization of Poverty. IDS. Brighton. April.
CORDILLERA HIGHLAND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT PROJECT. Potato Technoguide for Technicians.
DA-CHARM.2001.
DA-CAR. 2003. Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resources Management
Follow-up Project for the CAR. Vol. 2. October 2003
MOSER, CAROLINE.1989.Gender planning in the Third world: Meeting
Practical and Strategic Needs”, World Development, Vol.17, No.
11, Great Britain: Pergamon Press.
OVERHOLT, CATHERINE; ANDERSON, MARY; KATHLEEN and
AUSTIN, JAMES (eds): 1985. “Women in Development: A
Framework for Project Analysis”, in Gender Roles in Development
Projects: A Case Book, West Hartford: Kumarian Press.
PEKAS, BEVERLY et al. 2002. Inflow and Outflow of Major Highland
Vegetables in Baguio City.
ROVILLOS, RAYMUNDO.1996.Continuities and Discontinuities in Gender
Roles: Case of the Central Cordillera Agricultural Programme
(CECAP) in Ifugao. Unpublished thesis. University of the
Philippines College Baguio.
SADIE, YOLANDA and LOOTS, ELSABÉ, 1998, RDP Projects in South
Africa - A Gender Perspective Analysis,
http://www.iss.co.za/PUBS/Monographs/No27/rdp.html
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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57
SIDCHOGAN-BATANI, RUTH; LAKING, ARTEMIO T.; CALUGAN,
MILDRED I.; and SINGA, EVELYN B. “Agricultural Liberalization:
Impacts on Women Potato Farmers in Buguias, Benguet.”
Indigenous Perspectives Volume VI, No. 1 & 2. Tebtebba
Foundation, Baguio City, Philippines, 2004.

Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

---

APPENDIX A.
QUESTIONNAIRE
PART I. DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE

1. Household interview number#:_________
2. Name of respondent (optional)__________________________
3. Age:_________________
4. Address:___________________________________________________________
________________
5. Sex: __Male___Female
6. Marital status: married___ single___ widowed____ separated_____
7. Educational Attainment: No formal education___ Elementary__ Highschool____
College_____ Post graduate____ Others (pls specify)
8. Ethnicity: Kankanaey____ Ibaloi___ Others (pls specify)________
9. Religion:__Anglican___Roman
catholic___Others (pls specify)_____
10. Please indicate the frequency of your participation/exposure to the following
Research, Development and Extension Services using scale 5-always, 4-often, 3-
sometimes, 2-rarely, 1-never. And indicate your reason
Trainings____ techno demo,_____ inputs_____ technologies_______ IEC
materials_______ tours/educational tours )____School on the air______ others(pls
specify______

REASON:______________________________________________


PART II PRODUCTIVE ROLE

A. Division of Labor

1. Pre production , production and marketing activities
For the following items, please indicate your level/degree of involvement using the
scale:1-100% (always/most of the time), 2-75% 3-50% 2-25% and 1-0% (Never). Indicate
also your reason under WHY..

ACTIVITY %
WHY
INVOLVEMENT/HOW
OFTEN YOU DO
Decide which variety to plant


Source out planting materials

_
Land Preparation


Basal fertilizer application


planting

Decide when to plant


Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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59
Irrigation


Side-dressing &hilling up


spraying for control of pests and

diseases
Weeding


Dehaulming


Harvesting

. Sorting


Grading


Packing

Storing


Hauling


Transporting

Marketing

Destination(who decides)


Pricing


B. Access and control of resources

a. Land
1. Total farm area:_________________
2. Mode of acquisition of farm area:
3. inheritance

4. ____purchase:

5. _______rent_________
6. Who owns the farm area?
___wife
___husband
___parents-in-law
___both
___others (pls specify)_____________
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60
3.1.Decision making on utilization of land area scale:5-100%(always), 4-75%(often), 3-
50%(sometimes), 2-25%(rarely), 1-0(never))

ACTIVITY %INVOLVEMENT WHY
Decide how the

land is to be
utilized


b. Agricultural inputs
1 Please check what agricultural inputs do you buy?
___chicken manure
____fungicide
____insecticide
____inorganic
fertilizer
____foliar fertilizer
____fertilizer
____seeds/planting materials
____Others (pls specify)___________________

2. Please indicate where you usually procure/buy your agricultural inputs.
___Within locality
___Baguio City
___Sayangan
___La
Trinidad
___Supplier
___Others (pls specify)___________
REASONS:scale:
____cheaper
____sure
of
quality
____part of labor payment
____No capital
____when go to sell produce, buy also inputs
____Others (pls specify)________________

3 Procurement of inputs scale:5-100%(always), 4-75%(often), 3-50%(sometimes), 2-
25%(rarely), 1-0(never))

ACTIVITY DEGREE
OF
WHY
INVOLVEMENT
Procurement of inputs



4. Decision making scale:5-100%(always), 4-75%(often), 3-50%(sometimes), 2-
25%(rarely), 1-0(never))


ACTIVITY DEGREE
OF
WHY
INVOLVEMENT
Decide when and where to

procure agricultural inputs
Decide when and where

the inputs will be utilized

Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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61
c. Agricultural tools/equipments/implements
1 Please indicate what agricultural tools/equipments/implements do you buy?

2. Please indicate where you usually procure/buy your agricultural
tools/equipments/implements
___Within locality
___Baguio City
___Sayangan
___La
Trinidad
___Supplier
___Others (pls specify)___________

REASONS: scale:
____cheaper
____sure
of
quality
____part of labor payment
____No capital
____when go to sell produce, buy also inputs
____Others (pls specify)________________

3 Procurement of tools/equipments/implements scale:5-100%(always), 4-75%(often), 3-
50%(sometimes), 2-25%(rarely), 1-0(never)

ACTIVITY DEGREE
OF
WHY
INVOLVEMENT
Procurement of


tools/equipments/implement

4. Decision making scale:5-100%(always), 4-75%(often), 3-50%(sometimes), 2-
25%(rarely), 1-0(never))


ACTIVITY DEGREE
OF
WHY
INVOLVEMENT
Decide when and where to

procure agricultural
tools/equipments/implements ts
Decide when and where the

tools/equipments/implements
will be utilized

c. Credit
1. Do you avail of credit? ___Yes___No______
If yes):Please indicate how often you avail of credit from the following lending institutions
using scale 5-always, 4-often, 3-sometimes, 2 _rarely, 1- never.
___Private lending agency
___Relatives
___Supplier


___Cooperative Bank of Benguet
___Businessman

___Farm Supply in Baguio
___Cooperative
___Others
(pls
specify)__________
REASON:______________

2. Decision-making.please indicate your involvement/participation in decision making
using the scale:5-100%(always), 4-75%(often), 3-50%(sometimes), 2-25%(rarely), 1-
0(never))

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62
ACTIVITY DEGREE
OF
WHY
INVOLVEMENT
Decide to avail of

credit
Decide how much

and where to avail

of credit
Decide where the

loaned amount is
used

C. ACCESS AND CONTROL OF BENEFITS

1. Please rank where you spend the income from potato production with 1-highest
amount?
___
Food
___Education
of
children
___Household expenditures
___Capital for farming
___Loan ___Farm
Inputs
___Canao
___Clothes/shoes
___Allowance for children
___Medicine
___Others (pls specify)_______

2. Please indicate the level/degree of your involvement/participation in decision making
on where the income on white potato is to be spent usingscale:5-100%(always), 4-
75%(often), 3-50%(sometimes), 2-25%(rarely), 1-0(never))

ACTIVITY DEGREE
OF
WHY
INVOLVEMENT
Decide where the

income from
potato is spent

PART IV. REPRODUCTIVE ROLES

1. Please indicate your degree/level of involvement/participation in the reproductive
activities using the scale:5-100%(always), 4-75%(often), 3-50%(sometimes), 2-
25%(rarely), 1-0(never).Indicate also your reason under WHY.

Reproductive activities
% of
Why?
involvement
1. Cleaning the house


2. marketing


3. Laundry


4. Cooking


5. Child care/rearing


6.Feeding children


7.Bathing children


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63
Reproductive activities
% of
Why?
involvement
8.Helping children with


homework
9.Attend PTA meeting


10.Bring children to school


11.Decide where children go

to school
12.Decide extent of


childrens’ education
13.Give allowance to


children
14.Take children to clinic


when they get sick
15.Decide how many


children to have
16.Discipline children


17.Takes over reproductive


work when other sex is
involved in productive work
18.Others (pls


specify)_______________
_______________________

PART. PERCEPTION OF PRODUCTIVE ROLES

In your personal knowledge, please indicate your perception of the degree of involvement
of male and female (or in your opinion, who should be doing the following activities) in the
PRODUCTIVE activities in white potato production using the scale 5-100% (male only ),
4 (more male ), 3 (both), 2(more female), 1(female only). Kindly indicate also your reason
under WHY

ACTIVITY %
5 4 3 2 1 WHY
INVOLVEMENT
1.
Varietal

selection

2.
Land
preparation

3. Basal fertilizer






application
4. Sourcing of







planting materials
5. planting








6. Decide when to






plant
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64
ACTIVITY %
5 4 3 2 1 WHY
INVOLVEMENT
7.Irrigation


8. Side-dressing and






hilling up
9.Control of pests






and disease
10.
weeding


11.
dehaulming


12.
harvesting


13. sorting







14.
grading


15.
packing


16.
storing


17.
hauling


18.
transporting


19.
marketing


20. Decide market






destination
21.
pricing




PART VI. PERCEPTION OF REPRODUCTIVE ROLES
In your personal knowledge, please indicate your perception of the degree/level of
involvement/participation (who do you think should do the activity) of male and female in
the REPRODUCTIVE activities using the scale 5-100% (male only), 4(more male) 3
(both), 2(more female), 1 (female only).Kindly indicate also your reason under WHY

Reproductive % 5 4 3
2
1 why
activities
1. Cleaning







the house
2. marketing






3. Laundry







4.Cooking










5.Child care/
rearing
6.Feeding







children
7.Bathing







children
8.Helping







children
with
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65
Reproductive % 5 4 3
2
1 why
activities
homework
9.Attend







PTA
meeting
10.Bring







children to
school
11.Decide







where
children go
to school
12.Decide







extent of
childrens’
education
13.Give







allowance
to children
14.Take







children to
clinic when
they get
sick
15.Decide







how many
children to
have
16Discipline







children








17. Other
(pls
specify__
__________


PART V. COMMUNITY MANAGING ROLES
1. Do you participate in community rituals/rites/festivities/? Yes__No__
1.1 no, why? _____________
1.2 yes, what community rites/ritual/festivity/?
__Canao
___Barangay affairs___Religious Affairs
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66
___Others (pls specify_ ______________
1.3cribe your role in such rite/ritual/festivity/?
____Participant
____Workforce
____Decision maker
____planner
____Others (pls specify) ________________

1.4 Please indicate your level/degree of participation/involvement in community
rite/rituals/festivities using the scale 5-100%(always), 4-75%(often), 3-50%(sometimes),
2-25%(rarely), 1-0(never).Indicate also your reason under WHY.
Activity
Degree /level of
WHY
participation/involvement
Participation/involvement in

community organization



1.5please indicate your level/degree of participation/involvement in decision to
participate/be involved in community rites/rituals/festivities using the scale 5-
100%(always), 4-75%(often), 3-50%(sometimes), 2-25%(rarely), 1-0(never).Indicate
also your reason under WHY.


Activity Degree
of
WHY
involvement
Decide to
Interest

participate
Can understand
better
Others (pls
specify)____






2. Do you participate in community organization (coop/farmers group, savings and
credit groups/village social organization/religious organization)Yes____No_____
2.1 If no, why? _______________
a. If yes, what group do you participate in?
__Farmers Cooperative
__Farmers association
__Savings and credit group

__Religious organization
__Village social organization
__Others (pls specify_ ______________
2.3If yes, describe your role?
___Participant
___Workforce
___decision maker
___planner
__Others (pls specify) _
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67
2.4 Please indicate your level/degree of participation/involvement in community
organization using the scale 5-100%(always), 4-75%(often), 3-50%(sometimes), 2-
25%(rarely), 1-0(never).Indicate also your reason under WHY.
Activity
Degree /level of
WHY
participation/involvement
Participation/involvement in

community organization



2.5 Please indicate your level/degree of participation/involvement in decision to
participate/be involved in community organization using the scale 5-100%(always), 4-
75%(often), 3-50%(sometimes), 2-25%(rarely), 1-0(never).Indicate also your reason
under WHY.
______________
Activity Degree
of
WHY
involvement
Decide to


participate




3. Do you hold a political position? _________
4. If yes, up to what level? ___________
5. If no, why? __________

PART VII. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN ROLES
1. What problems have you encountered in your roles in potato production?
2. What roles would you want the opposite sex to take on and why?
3. What roles of the opposite sex would you want to do and why?_____________

PART VIII. RECOMMENDATION
1. For the problems on roles identified, what recommendations do you suggest?



THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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68
APPENDIX B.
PROTOCOL FOR ON-FARM TRIAL OF POTATO
PRE-PRODUCTION

Varietal Selection

Procurement of Seed tubers

Land Preparation
Select an area with a well- drained sandy loam to clay loam soils
with Ph ranging from 5.6-6.5
Clean the area through hand weeding, or by the use of sickle/trowel
and grab hoe. Weeds removed are either buried in between plots or
composed in the corner of paddies
Preparation of plots is done by hill method in single or double row.
Single row measures 75 cm apart while a width of 1.2 cm composes a
double row. Plots should be elevated during wet season whereas a slight
depression in the middle of the plot is done during dry season. This
accumulates and retains water in the bed

Basal fertilizer Application
Get soil samples for analysis
Fertilizer applied should be based on the soil analysis
Fertilizer rate. The general NPK recommendation for table potatoes
is 140-140-140 kg nutrient/ha. Respectively. Thus, for basal application,
follow the rates listed below:
-table production-20 bags complete fertilizer (14-14-14) + 4 tons
(834 big kerosene cans) chicken dung/hectare.
Place the fertilizers near the root zones so that plants can easily
absorb the nutrients. Apply the recommended amount of inorganic
fertilizer in the furrow or 20 g (2 level tbsp) per hill at planting time. Cover
fertilizer with a thin layer of soil before planting using cultivator or
Japanese hoe.


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69
PRODUCTION

Planting
a. plant the seed pieces when the soil is neither too wet nor too dry.
Too wet soil causes seed rotting especially before emergence due to
excessive moisture and lack of oxygen. On the other hand, seed pieces
dehydrate easily if sown on dry soil. The planting distance should be 30
cm between rows and 30 cm between hills for bigger tubers while a
distance of 25 cm between rows and 30 cm between hills is plied for
medium to small tubers.
b. Plant depth ranges from between 8-10 cm for light soils and 507
cm for heavy soils. If planting in heavy soils is followed by heavy rain,
loosen the spaces between the seeds with a hoe to allow aeration.
c. For the position of tuber, the apical portion should be towards the
centre or sides.

Crop Management

Irrigation.
The moisture requirement of potato varies at different growth
stages. If the soil is dry, the field should be irrigated 3-5 days before
planting. After planting, potato requires relatively low moisture level to
harden the plants and lessen the incidence of tuber rotting. After
emergence, the amount of water needed increases as the crop grows.
The crop should have adequate moisture at stolon formation, tuber set
and tuber growth. Water is applied by overhead irrigation with the use of
watering cans, rainbird or by means of furrow irrigation. However, to avoid
occurrence of fungal disease, furrow irrigation is recommended. Overhead
irrigation is done every 2-3 days.

Weed Control.
Weeds compete for light, space, water and plant nutrients. Their
roots absorb more water and nutrient than the shallow rooted potato, as
well as the spread of insect pest and diseases. Control weeds by hand-
pulling, hoeing the field and hilling-up or by mulching (2-5cm thick).Hill-up
when the plants are 15-25cm high or at 30 days after planting, after which
additional cultivation should be avoided.

Side-dressing and hilling –up.
-cultivate first if soil is compact
-side dress and hill-up when the plants are 15-25 cm tall or
approximately 25-35 days after planting
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70
-side dress with the remaining half of the T-14 that was not applied
during basal fertilization, fertilizer is either applied around the plant (2cm
away) or done between rows.

Insect pests, diseases and their control
1. leaf miner-Adult looks like a housefly. It is of a pinhead size.
Head is yellow with reddish eyes. The rest of the body is black with a
yellow mark on its back.
They cause tunnels and injure the upper surface of the leaves with
its sharp abdomen.
Flooding the soil followed by hoeing could release mulch of buried
pupae. Collect and destroy the pupae or expose to sunlight for desiccation
and enhance other mortality factors. Maintain general agricultural hygiene
conditions by cleaning all weeds and treating soils where practical to
destroy the pupae. Bury infested weeds and waste plant materials in the
ground.
2. Thrips-These are small soft bodied insects about 1-1.2mm long.
The larvae are dark yellow and slow moving while the adults are brown
and fast moving. The pest damages the leaves by piercing the surfaces
and sucking the plant juices, causing the bronzing and drying up of leaves
Plowing and harrowing of the field after harvest reduce thrips
population in the soil. Overhead and surface irrigation have similar effects.
3. Aphids- Aphids or plant lice are minute, sluggish, soft bodied
insects. They congregate in large numbers on the plant. They pierce
potato leaves and succulent stems and suck off the plant juices. This
causes wilting, severe curling and yellowing of leaves and stunting of
infected plants. Rogue out all the infected plants to prevent aphids from
spreading viruses in the field.
4. Late blight-It is the most destructive disease of potato. The
disease affects leaves, stems and tubers. It appears on the leaves as pale
green, irregular spots, stems and petioles turn brown when infected.
To control, destroy or eliminate all potato cull piles, plant resistant
varieties and start spraying when the plants are 10-15 cm in height. Add
stickers such as ordinary detergent to the fungicide solution during the
rainy season to prevent washing away of chemical.

Virus diseases- Potato leaf roll virus and rogues mosaic. The plants
grow upright, become stunted and are light green. In some potato varieties
the underside or base of the leaves turns reddish or purplish. Eliminate
volunteer [plants and remove diseased plants.
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71
Suggested insecticides and fungicides to control pests and
diseases.

Insecticides
Mode of action
Rate of
application/ha
Lannate L
contact
1.0 L or 3-6 tbsp
Sherpa contact 2-3
tbsp
Karate contact 2-3tbsp
Demo contact 2-3
tbsp

Fungicides Rate
of
Spray
Dry
Application
interval
season
Wet season
Dithane M-
2-3 kg
5-7 days
7-10 days
45
Manzate
2-3 kg
5-7 days
7-10 days
200
Curzate -M
2-3 kg
5-7 days
7-10 days
Daconil
2-3 kg
5-7 days
7-10 days
Manager
3-4 tbsp/16 li 5-7 days
7-10 days
Pilarich
3-4 tbsp/16 li 5-7 days
7-10 days

HARVESTING

Dehaulming. Dehaulming is a method of firming up the tubers. It
minimizes the risk of skinning during harvesting and subsequent handling.
This practice is done when vegetative parts are 80-85% senescent,
haulms are cut. This is recommended for 5-7 days before digging to allow
the skin to harden.
Harvesting. Harvesting is done at 70-120 days depending on the
variety, season, price and cash needs of the farmer. Potatoes are
harvested with the use of spading forks, sharpened stick or a three-
pronged hoe. In loose or friable soils, digging tubers by the use of hands is
a common practice.
Sorting and grading. Potatoes are classified according to size and
grade. The exact size range within any grade varies from farmer to farmer;
if supply is low the farmer lowers the base limit to each size. Sorting and
grading may either be done in the farm or at the trading post. Physical
grading depends to the general appearance, quality and conditions of the
tubers.
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72
Classification of tubers is as follows:
Jumbo
26 gms and above with 9.1 cm diameter and above
Super
06-125 gms with 8.1-9.0 cm diameter
Extra large 99-105 gms with 7.1-8.0cm diameter
Large
85-98 gms with 6.1-7.0cm diameter
Big

78-84 gms with 5.1-6.0cm diameter
Medium
51-77gms with 4.1-5.0cm diameter
Small
50 gms below with 3.0-4.0cm diameter
Injured tubers and marbles are considered rejects, therefore non-
marketable
The practice of “buhos system” (bulk) where marketable and non-
marketable tubers are classified by the trader and the farmer at the trading
post.
Hauling/Packing. Hauling is done to transport harvest from farm to
market roads. Baskets, feed sacks, thick laced plastic trays and bamboo
crates are used.
Packing is done right in the field using feed sacks, thick laced
plastic trays and bamboo crates. The “buhos system” is also applied.

Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
The author is the third child of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Tudlong of
Bontoc, Mountain Province, a full-blooded Igorot. She was born on May
31, 1963.
Her elementary years were spent at All Saints’ Mission School,
Bontoc, Mountain Province where she graduated valedictorian. Two
examinations brought her to the Philippine Science High School in
Diliman, Quezon City where she graduated high school. She then
proceeded to the University of the Philippines at Los Baños to finish B.S.
Agricultural Engineering.
After graduation, she joined the Montañosa Research and
Development Center, an NGO, for a short period of time. She then applied
at the Department of Agriculture-CAR where she works until the present.
She is currently assigned at the Cordillera Regional Integrated Agricultural
Research Center. She had the opportunity to be detailed with the foreign-
assisted Cordillera Highland Agriculture Resources Management Project
as the Adaptive Research Services coordinator.
She is married to Gary A. Pekas, with whom she has four children.
The eldest is now taking up public administration at the University of the
Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. The second is enrolled at Philippine
Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
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74
Science High School, Bayombong Campus. The two younger children are
in elementary at Easter School.


Gender Roles in White Potato Production in
Paoay, Atok, Benguet / Beverly T. Pekas. 2006

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Document Outline

• Gender Roles in White PotatoProduction in Paoay, Atok, Benguet
  • BIBLIOGRAPHY
  • ABSTRACT
  • TABLE OF CONTENTS
  • INTRODUCTION
    • Background of the Study
    • Statement of the Problem
    • Objectives of the Study
    • Importance of the Study
  • REVIEW OF LITERATURE
    • Vegetable Industry in Atok and theProvince of Benguet
    • Concepts on Gender
    • Problems in the GRF Approach
    • International, National and LocalPolicies on Gender
    • Gender Roles Among Potato Farmers inBuguias
    • Conceptual Framework
    • Operational Definition of Terms
    • Hypothesis of the Study
  • METHODOLOGY
  • RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
    • Demographic Profile of theRespondents
    • Productive Roles of Men and Women inWhite Potato Production in Paoay, Atok
    • Access to and Control of Resources
    • Access and Control of Benefits fromPotato Production
    • Reproductive Roles
    • Perception of Gender Roles
    • Community Managing Roles
    • Problems Encountered
  • SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
    • Summary
    • Conclusions
    • Recommendations
  • LITERATURE CITED
  • APPENDICES

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