Environment

A number of environmental trends have an impact on rural livelihood in general and on women's lives in particular. Women are usually disproportionately affected because they are more dependent on natural resources in order to carry out their farm and household activities. In many provinces a process of soil degradation is apparent due to depletion of essential minerals, resulting in low crop yields. High yielding rice varieties substitute local rice varieties, and there is a risk of loss of agrobiological diversity. In this context, women's traditional knowledge and skills in seed selection and preservation need to be acknowledged. In addition, the use of pesticides is increasing. Improper handling of pesticides and residues of pesticides in the ecological system create health risks. There are some indications that fish stocks are declining, reducing the availability of fish to rural households. There is also widespread, often illegal, logging in forest areas, reducing forest resources available to households as well as leading to soil degradation.