Indigenous Women in the Food Chain System: The Marginalization and Alienation of Indigenous Knowledge on Environmental Management

Abstract

Women hold a pivotal role in the global food supply chain, particularly in developing countries. However, traditional agricultural knowledge, often preserved by women, faces marginalization due to modern, capital-driven systems. This study, employing a feminist ethnographic approach, explores the experiences of Dayak Benawan women in Sanggau Regency, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Through interviews and participation in daily activities, I examined the community's food chain system. The findings reveal a conflict between preserving livelihoods and adapting to capitalist pressures. The integration of capital into indigenous food systems has sidelined women's knowledge, undermining their role in sustainable practices. This dynamic reflects broader tensions between capitalist ideologies, which prioritize profit, and indigenous perspectives that view nature as inseparable from societal well-being. The marginalization of Dayak Benawan women and their traditional knowledge illustrates the need to revalue indigenous contributions to sustainable food systems amidst global economic transformations.