Gender differences in land-use decisions: Shaping multifunctional landscapes?

• Main Authors: Villamor, Grace B., van Noordwijk, Meine, Djanibekov, Utkur, Javier, Ma. Elena Chiong-, Catacutan, Delia
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2014
• Subjects: Land use—Decision making—Sex differences; Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/3575; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/faculty_research/article/4577/type/native/viewcontent/j.cosust.2013.11.015
• Institution: De La Salle University

While decision-making processes of land managers drive land-use change and affect the provision of ecosystems services, there is no concrete understanding of whether gender specificity in decision-making influences the multifunctionality of landscapes. We distinguish eleven elements in a typical management cycle. In reviewing the literature, we found apparent gaps on gendered knowledge, preferences, risk taking and access to innovation in land-use decision making. Male and female responses in the adoption of agroforestry practices and other investment opportunities reflect differing exposure to and perceptions of risk. Innovative approaches such as agent-based models and role-playing games are currently applied to study gendered behavior in land-use decisions. These approaches can assist researchers to explicitly and empirically compare potentially self-reinforcing behaviors or feedback loops with local impacts on ecosystem services. © 2013 The Authors.