Women and cooperative farming in Nicaragua: Agrarian change and revolutionary transformation

Interviews with male and female members on five cooperative farms test the hypotheses that: (1) traditional attitudes toward the proper role of women, and (2) the quantity of daily work responsibilities borne by women, restrict their ability to join into cooperative farming. Results indicate that both hypotheses are true in that when they exist, they can prevent women from joining cooperatives. However, sexist attitudes do not prevail on all cooperatives. When farm leaders are favorable toward women, opportunities for women improve considerably. On work responsibilities, women perform most housework. Women must first free themselves of the full burden of housework before they can enter full-time agriculture. These obstacles impede their ability to put new "rights" into practice. Women who have entered into full-time agriculture may have special circumstances assisting them (e.g., a spouse working on the same farm, or a mother willing to help with much of the housework).