Gender, violence and social resources in rural producers’ economic decisions

Abstract

Abstract In this study, we analyzed the relationship between traditional gender roles and rural producers' economic decisions. We posited that traditional gender roles lead to differences in rural producers’ skills and knowledge, determining the type of production decisions they make -product diversification or value-adding processes, the characteristics of their integration into the market, and how social capital resources support their decisions. The study was based on a sample of 1680 Colombian rural producers in a context of pre-agreement with the oldest illegal armed group. We validated that social capital resources affected the economic decisions of rural producers—their production of goods and integration into the market—according to gender roles and the level of violence in the context.