Pastoral Women of the Andes of Bolivia & Peru

Corinne Valdivia Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS) University of Missouri (MU) ValdiviaC@missouri.edu

Cecilia TurinUniversidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Peru

Jere L. GillesRural Sociology, DASS, MU

Oklahoma City February 5, 2013

Society for Range Management 66th Annual Meeting“Women as Change Agents in the World’s Rangelands”

Symposium

Acknowledgments• The families of the communities that have collaborated through the years

• The people: students, researchers, and stakeholders

• Institutions and Organizations

• Support from – The Small Ruminant CRSP (1991‐1996) 

– NOAA  Human Dimensions (1998‐2003)

– the  SANREM CRSP (2006‐2010)

Aymara Climate, Market & Political Drivers 

Migration & EducationPeasant Communities

• Camelid pastoralism

• Agropastoral livelihoods

• Livestock, land & water management 

Overview

• Landscapes, markets and political context

• Livelihood strategies in agropastoral & pastoral systems

• Women pastoras, household & community decisions and agency

Landscapes Markets and Political Contexts

drivers of change

Agropastoral & Pastoral LandscapesPastoral System

In PeruPastoral System

In Bolivia

Agropastoral SystemIn Bolivia

Agropastoral SystemIn Peru

Peru

PeruSouthern Altiplano

Apopata

Santa Maria

4,400m

3,900m

NOAA HD andSANREM CRSP

DRIVERS

Bolivia Northern Altiplano

Four Communities3850 - 4300

DRIVERS

Bolivia Central Altiplano

Four rural communities3,770 - 4,070

DRIVERS

Pastoral & Agropastoral Livelihoods

Southern PeruNorthern Bolivia Central Bolivia

Northern Bolivia Central Bolivia Southern Peru

Northern Bolivia Central Bolivia Southern Peru

Northern Bolivia Central Bolivia Southern Peru

Women’s decisions & agency

Women are in most cases …

Inside the household –

• In charge of productive and reproductive activities 

• In charge of herding  

• In charge of land use, and planting decisions

In the community –

• Officers 

Markets –

• Market animals & products

• Market crops

• Migrate less than men

• In charge of household purchases and school expenses

Migration & Education 

OnlyMen Market

OnlyWomen Market

Both MarketEqually

Yearly Income$2,900

Education6 years

Crops 3.2 Has

Yearly Income$2,300

Education4 years

Crops 2.6 Has

Yearly Income$3,300

Education7 years

Crops 4.4Has

Households with educated men and women have higher income in the Andes. Off‐farm employment 

earnings are also higher.

Women as Change Agents in Pastoralism in Southern Peru

Grazing Women Men Couple Total

n % n % n % n

Apopata 19 51 11 30 7 19 37

Chocorasi 14 56 4 16 7 28 25

Lacotuyo 9 43 7 33 5 24 21

Total 42 51 22 27 19 23 83

• Women are key range managers in pastoralists households 

• Women are in charge of the 50% of the grazing

• More than 70% of participation in the range management

Women as Change Agents  

• Men have better opportunities for off farm work,  better wages (Women paid half the wages of men in agriculture)

• Access to education, key to decision making power

• With migration (increased absence of men) women are the main decision makers in NRM and markets 

• As pastoralists and agropastoralists are leaders in their communities – rangeland and water issues

• In Southern Peru, as women are better educated and informed begin to occupy leadership positions in local government

• In Bolivia women are the main decision makers about production and marketing in their households when …

Building the political and social capitals for change

Three take-away points

• Women are key decision makers in pastoral & agropastoral systems

• Women’s decisions impact asset formation: human & natural capitals

• Participatory action research & women: how to engage in meaningful livelihood outcomes