GENDER ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH LABOR MIGRATION AND DEPENDENCE ON OFF-FARM INCOME IN RURAL BOLIVIA

Central Bolivia resembles many areas of Latin America, where farm fami lies are heavily dependent on off-farm income. Satisfying this need fr equently involves migration by males seeking employment, and creates c onditions of chronic labor scarcity on the farm. As a result, land man agement often suffers, and a self-perpetuating cycle of impoverishment and environmental degradation is established. Because women assume al most all farm management duties in areas experiencing high rates of ma le wage labor migration, they are often the major agents and major vic tims of this cycle. A key to breaking the cycle is the empowerment of rural women to overcome the effects of labor scarcity by replacing ind ividual family survival strategies with collective action.