THE USE OF FIREWOOD IN AN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY IN THE SIERRA NORTE DE PUEBLA: A GENDER PERSPECTIVE ON ACCESS TO NATURAL RESOURCES

Abstract

Objective: To analyze some elements considered key to understanding the rights of use, access and ownership of natural resources according to the social roles assigned to each sex in the community of Reyeshogpan, Puebla.

Design/methodology/approach: The methodology used is that of participant observation complemented by the application of 24 semi-structured interviews with households in the community.

Results: The results indicate that the surface areas range between 0.25 ± 3.0 hectares, where 40.79% of those consulted own surfaces of less than 0.5 hectares, an insufficient surface area to cover their annual energy needs (10,752 m³ / household), which is why they resort to renting, borrowing land, and buying firewood.  In terms of access to land, 82.14% is in the hands of men and 17.86% in the hands of women. This percentage of female holders does not imply that they can exercise their rights as owners, as men, thus confirming that access to land influences the availability of firewood and its use for energy.

Limitations on study/implications: The analysis of the use and quantity of fuelwood used by households used information provided in the interviews, which may underestimate or overestimate quantities.

Findings/conclusions: For the community of Reyeshogpan, firewood collection is gender-based, based on the physical differences between men and women, finding that there are specific tasks for men to collect firewood that are related to their physical strength and tasks that women carry out in a complementary way and without any economic value whatsoever.

Keywords: Gender, wood energy, energy in households.