Gender Equality And Social Inclusion In The Cocoa Production Sector In Polewali Mandar Regency

Abstract

Cocoa production worldwide has experienced growth in recent years as a result of increased productivity and expansion of development areas. This success is of course due to the participation of male and female farmers, although the role of women is still considered only as a husband's companion, which does not have a direct impact on farming management. The main goal of social inclusion is poverty alleviation and reducing discrimination in society, where the main key is participation, access, and service of public rights. The purpose of the study was to analyze the level of gender participation and social inclusion in cocoa farming. Data were analyzed by multiple linear regression for gender participation and scoring data to measure accessibility to public services. The results showed that gender equality and social inclusion in the cocoa production sector in Polewali Regency were inclusive. Women's participation in farming began to increase in access and control of activities that require women's assistance as labor, such as nurseries, harvesting, post-harvest, and marketing. Meanwhile, increased control over activities that require finances such as purchasing seeds, fertilizing, controlling pests and diseases because women are the financial controllers in the household but access to these activities is still lacking due to lack of skills. In addition, factors that greatly affect participation are cosmopolitan nature, length of farming, labor, motivation, and counseling. The provision and accessibility of public services have existed in the community but the involvement of women in it is still less than that of men except for the right to health and education. Therefore, to improve the welfare of cocoa farmers, government policy interventions are needed to increase women's participation in farming so that in the future women can replace men working in the cocoa production sector and the government is obliged to improve gender-based public services to create social inclusion.