Abstract

This article focuses on the changing roles of the women farmers of Thieudeme, Senegal. Sociological concepts and methods are combined with women's perceptions to more fully understand the nature of role change from part-time subsistence farming of hardy staples to full-time farming and marketing of vegetables among three generations of women and to compare women's perceptions of change factors with those identified through research and policy analysis. The authors also consider the associations among women's traditional arenas of decision making, increased responsibilities for household maintenance, improved status in the community, and organizing and demands for greater autonomy. Women are more likely to emphasize stress from work burdens and conflicts than to conclude that change has brought them any benefits.