The Role of Women in Food Security (Case Study of Rice Farmers in Blang Pala Village, Banda Baro District, Aceh Utara Regency) Shamadiyah N1, Nasution P.P.P.A2 1Agribusiness Departement, Faculty of Agriculture, Malikussaleh University, Aceh Utara 2Anthropology Departement, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Malikussaleh University, Aceh Utara Online published on 2 February, 2019. Abstract The rice farming community is a producer of staple foods. They not only produce food, but also are responsible for food needs for all members of their families and society. This study aims to describe how the distribution of roles between women and men in agricultural activities (on farm and off farm) to fll household food security in the rice farming community in Blang Pala Village, Banda Baro District, Aceh Utara District, Aceh Province. The study have been done by in-depth interviews with ethnoscience as an approach. The informants were determined based on several minimum requirements: full enculturation, direct involvement of informants with their cultural atmosphere, different cultural backgrounds with researchers, and time availability. The result shows that women have a very important contribution to food security of their families and effort of providing food at the household level. The allocation of roles between husband and wife in agriculture is based on family deliberation, but still those who make decisions are male (husband). This is due to the people of Aceh adhering to Islamic law. In agricultural activities, men play a part in heavy work. Whereas women play a role in work that is considered light. This pattern refers to habits that have become a hereditary culture. Since childhood they have seen how parents share roles in the family, so this also becomes a reference or basis for them to share the roles between men and women in agricultural activities. Top Keywords Food Security, Agriculture, Farmers, Women, Family. Top |