This study examines whether the adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies is affected by the intra-household gender dynamics between a husband and wife, using a 3-year panel dataset of more than 300 coffee and cocoa-farming households in Lampung, Indonesia. It investigates the household members’ off-farm labor participation, off-farm income, and formal education.

The results indicate that off-farm labor participation increases the propensity that a household adopts sustainable agricultural techniques. The study also finds that women are more concerned about the environmental issues whereas the men are more focused on productivity. The wife’s level of education, income, and participation in formal work increased her decision-making power within the household, hence the increased adoption rate even in the cases when the wife is not a full-time farmer. This gendered approach provides important insights into natural resource planning and management in rural agricultural communities.

Dr Ayu Pratiwi is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the School of Economics, Turku University, Finland.

This event is hosted by the ANU Indonesia Project and the Arndt-Corden Department of Economics, Crawford School of Public Policy