They are mainly involved in field crop maintenance, production for home consumption, post-harvesting and marketing of cash crops. Despite this pivotal role in agricultural production, women have comparatively little or no involvement in the policy development of agricultural organizations. 9 These organizations comprise the bargaining force in the agricultural industry. In the rural areas women also work as domestics, and many remain at home with children. Some women own their own land with their husband, but it is quite rare for an unmarried woman to own her own land.
Most women work on rented land, crop-sharing, or for other landowners.
The Equal Pay Act of 1994 has been fairly effective, according to one source. It mainly addresses the inequities in pay between men and women in agriculture, which is where the problem of wage discrimination was most significant. Female agricultural traders play a major role in sustaining the non-banana agricultural export trade. The conditions of their trade are difficult and dangerous. The National Report for Beijing suggests that government could make their lives much easier at customs points and in the provision of basic facilities.