Care work and rurality in the coffee farms of Caldas (Colombia). the case of the rural women cooks

Abstract

This presentation, show the results of the research about the work of rural women that cook meals on farms and coffee plantations in the rural area of three municipalities belonging to the south-central region of Caldas (Colombia). The purpose of this research is the understanding of the situations of labor invisibility that surrounds the activity of preparing and supplying meals in the context of rural coffee work. The work methodology and the way in which the data is constructed and analyzed, mainly focused on narratives derived from the life stories of the participants, reveal the conditions of gender segregation, inequity in access and use of resources, and wage inequality in terms of economic remuneration, but also how this work is configured as an essential issue for production and maintenance of the labor force, social relations, and productivity of coffee companies.