Geography and gender of agricultural colonization

Abstract

A study of agricultural colonization in the tropics shows us that plans are often inappropriate to local culture. Very widely, colonist women lose title to land and access to income while suffering an increased workload and severe isolation. Where women have played a more positive role, the results have been encouraging. The significance of gender in colonization varies greatly from place to place, and should be studied by geographers in rich as well as poor countries.