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income, and men were most of the time in landowners in the developing world, even
charge of sustaining this income for families, though they comprise 20 to 50 percent of the
as bread-winners.” agricultural labor depending on the country
Even though most of the time women (FAO, 2011). In some countries land owner-
pick coffee in the fields, coffee farming is still ship by women might be constrained by
not considered a “woman’s job”. Female gender-discriminating laws. Like in 72 coun-
farmers in rural communities bear what is tries where women are banned from opening
Photo / JOse MAdera
referred to as the “double burden”: they work bank accounts or obtaining credit.
much longer days than their male counter- In Rebecca’s case she was lucky to in-
parts since they are responsible for both herit the business from her father, who
housework and work on farms. In the study helped her to make first steps in the industry
made by Kasente in 2012, men were found and guided along the way. Being in control
to have an eight-hour workday, while women of your own career and giving jobs to others,
worked up to 15 hours per day, including as a farm owner, can also bring you some
total hours spent on coffee production and personal lessons and change your own per-
household tasks. ception about yourself: “I was a very shy and
“Women jobs is full time with extra very insecure woman before. The coffee in-
hours and if you are a mom even more. I am dustry and the opportunities I have been
a single mom of two beautiful kids, I sustain having during all these years helped me get
the house, I own 5 shops and on top of ev- leadership skills, exposure, commitment,
erything I always have time to be a good mom structure, vision. I have made myself to do
and also good a businesswoman,” shared projects that before I did not think I was
Rebecca from her own experience. capable of doing, reaffirming myself what
Women make up just 3 to 20 percent of women are cable to achieve amazing things.”

Farmers male-dominated as coffee transitions from Photo / Gustavo Castrodad
its raw form into a value-added product ready
The gender gap in coffee value chain for sales and marketing.
can be demonstrated in four key areas: dis- Answering why the coffee farming is
tribution of labor, income, ownership, lead- still male-dominant even though most of
ership and decision-making. According to an work is made by women, Rebecca Atienza, a
ITC survey which included 15 coffee-produc- third-generation coffee farmer, shared with
ing countries, women comprised an average us: “The coffee industry in Puerto Rico is one
of 70 percent of the workforce in the field- of the most important industries in our his-
work and harvesting roles, but only partici- tory and culture. For centuries, Puerto Rico,
pated in 10 percent of the in-country trading was a producer of coffee worldwide. So, for
and export roles. Tasks are increasingly many families it has been the main source of

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