Impact of Sago Crop Commercialization Programs on Gender Roles of Melanau Communities in Sarawak, Malaysia

Siti Zanariah Ahmad Ishak,Malia Taibi,Ahmad Nizar Yaakub

doi:10.5539/ass.v13n12p35

Abstract

Melanau men are known for their significant roles in the cultivation of sago palm as smallholder farmers while the women take charge of processing sago-based food products. Melanau sago farmers play important roles in maintaining their rural livelihood as the ethnic minority group in the northwest coastal communities of Sarawak, Malaysia. In an attempt to contribute to the corpus of knowledge on Melanau gender roles and their unique farming practices, this paper adapts gender relations framework in order to assess the impact of sago commercialization programs that were established by the local authority since 1980s. The findings revealed that the changes of traditional gender roles among men and women are influenced by gender relations factors i.e. gender division of labour, access to or control of resources and household decision making. In addition, sago production promises a greater prospect of moving away from low to high commercial level of production only if human capital that makes sago crop difficult to commercialize are tackled in the Melanau community. This suggests that more attention to human factors is needed when authorities formulate policies relating to commercialization program.

Highlights

Researchers posit that in the developing countries, commercialization of indigenous agricultural commodities is regarded as a prerequisite for achieving social and economic development of rural communities (Belcher & Schreckenberg, 2007; Carletto, et al, 2017)
In the context of the sago cultivation sector in Sarawak, Malaysia, men and women assist one another in sago value chain, whereby men are in charge of sago palm cultivation and maintenance because of their physical strength and tedious nature of the work involved while the women involve in food production, processing and marketing as well as assisting their men in the farm (Barton, 2012; Hirschman, 2016)
Sago is being promoted as the crop that is indigenous to Sarawak where the sago-based food products are promoted for tourism purposes because of the Melanau cultural identity is generally attached to sago

Summary

Introduction

Researchers posit that in the developing countries, commercialization of indigenous agricultural commodities is regarded as a prerequisite for achieving social and economic development of rural communities (Belcher & Schreckenberg, 2007; Carletto, et al, 2017). Commercialization programs directed at gender mainstreaming promote increased participation of men and women in the production, processing and marketing of agricultural commodities at local and international markets (Rubin & Manfre, 2014; Forsythe, Posthumus & Martin, 2016). Sago development programs established by the government of Sarawak are designed to facilitate the sago production of the rural Melanau smallholder farmers. Concerns over the yield of sago which is inconsistent and low compared with its economic potential has led to the establishment of more agencies by the government in initiating the sago commercialization programs. Sago is being promoted as the crop that is indigenous to Sarawak where the sago-based food products are promoted for tourism purposes because of the Melanau cultural identity is generally attached to sago. The downstream activities of using sago starch which involved women are for local consumption and the preservation of Melanau food cultural identity has been established in the areas of processing and marketing

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion