Reframing Women Farmers through Cultural Rural Feminism in Caraga Region, Philippines

Abstract

This study examined the gendered dimensions of agricultural labor by foregrounding the lived experiences of women farmers in the Caraga Region of the Philippines. Framed by Feminist theory and situated within an interpretive qualitative paradigm, the inquiry employed in-depth interviews with (n=8) participants to capture situated knowledge as epistemic authority. Data were analyzed through Creswell and Poth’s Data Analysis Spiral, with iterative movement between coding, categorization, and thematic construction. The findings were consolidated under the concept of Rural Feminism, a localized framework of empowerment grounded in agricultural labor, cultural traditions, and spirituality. Five subthemes were identified: (1) women’s strategies for managing and sustaining farms, (2) the role of Christianity and spirituality in resilience, (3) the persistence of traditional gender norms, (4) experiences of exclusion and inequality, and (5) aspirations for equitable futures in agriculture. Results showed that while women faced limited recognition and structural inequalities, they asserted agency, influenced production decisions, and sustained rural communities. The study argued that women’s contributions constituted leadership and authority in farming rather than auxiliary labor. The findings supported the integration of spirituality into the framework of Cultural Rural Feminism and its implications highlight the necessity of gender-sensitive agricultural policies, education, and support structures that recognize women as central to the sustainability and transformation of Philippine agriculture.