Gender Relations and Subjective Family Well-being among Farmer Families: a Comparative Study Between Uplands and Lowlands areas in West Java Province, Indonesia

Abstract

The objectives of this study are described as follows: (1) To examine the conditions of
social, economic and demographic characteristics of poor farmer families who live at
uplands and lowlands areas, (2) to describe the social-cultural and agroecosystem
conditions of poor farmer families who live at uplands and lowlands areas, (3) To
explain type of gender relations of poor farmer families who live at uplands and
lowlands areas, and (4) to analyze factors that influenced subjective family well-being
of poor farmer families who live at uplands and lowlands areas. The chosen research
sites were Nanggung Sub-district, Bogor District as an upland area, and West Teluk
Jambe Sub-district, Karawang District, West Java Province as a lowland area. The total
of 189 farmer families was used for this study (n= 90 in uplands district areas, and n=
99 in lowlands district areas). It was found that the conditions of social-cultural and
agroecosystem differ between upland and lowland areas. In general, both upland and
lowland areas gender roles on farming activities, in terms of access and control to
agricultural resources, were dominated by men. Family well-being was directly
influenced by higher education of husband and wife, indirectly influenced by less
economic pressure of the family, directly influenced by higher gender relations between
husband and wife, and directly influenced by less or higher external support. Thus,
wealthy farmer families were the family that had educated husband and wife, less
economic pressures, equal gender relations and partnerships, and less or more receive
external supports. It is recommended that the next study should add variables of family
coping strategies related to family economic pressure and gender roles between husband
and wife.