Gender roles and expertise in pest management and cabbage production in Tomohon, Indonesia

Determination of the relative involvement of men and women in agricultural systems is often critical to the successful implementation of extension ser vices and new pest management technologies. This study emphasizes the impor tance of including both male and female farmers in future extension service s and pest management training activities. Interviews were conducted in thr ee villages in the sub-district of Tomohon, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, to o btain information on pest management practices, levels of pest management k nowledge, and gender roles in cabbage production. It was determined that ma le farmers had a higher participation rate in fieldwork than females; both women and men performed all production tasks, except the solely male task o f applying insecticides; women were most active in planting, weeding, and t ransplanting; levels of biological knowledge about cabbage pests were very high but quality of pest management knowledge was poor; and, no gender-base d differences existed in terms of pest management knowledge. The latter fin ding was contrary to expressed beliefs that men were more knowledgeable.