II. Sociological research methodology
The methodology was based on the integrated use of qualitative and quantitative research techniques. More specifically, the qualitative stage comprised 14 group discussions, 36 in-depth interviews and six meetings with experts, in different agrarian environments. It is worth highlighting the importance of this qualitative stage which set out to:
a) Procure reference material to study how rural women perceive the agricultural world and rural society.
b) Provide descriptive information on the status of farm women, identifying attitudes and opinions that cannot be captured by standard questionnaire.
c) Contribute towards the design of the questionnaire and sample.
Process of integration of the observation and analytical instruments
Sampling constituent process
The quantitative stage comprised four samples: a central sample of 6203 farm women; and three secondary samples of 399 women employed on farms on a permanent or temporary basis; 403 women employed permanently or casually in the marketing, processing or manufacture of agricultural goods; and a reference sample of 205 men from family farms (FF). The FF sample had a confidence level of 99% (3 _), with a margin of error of ± 2%.
The study's scope of reference, the sampling principles and the final selection of sample individuals were guided by the central objective of analysing the role of women in agriculture.
The central observation unit was the farm household, with the women as holders or related to the holder (basically as spouse, mother or daughter). Efforts were made to include those women in each household most active in farm work.
The research universe was divided into 16 agricultural environments to reflect the differences in the women's role in Spain's various agrarian systems1. A two-tiered classification was then carried out within each agricultural environment: first, rural municipalities according to population size and, second, population settlements according to size and dispersal pattern. The final questionnaire recipients were determined by random selection of municipalities and settlements in each of the agricultural environments.
1 These agricultural environments were determined on the basis of an agricultural demarcation previously undertaken by the MAFF. They were used to determine sample categories and as an important independent analytical variable.
Three questionnaires were used with a common basic structure for the three groups studied: women on family holdings, women agricultural wage earners and those employed in agribusiness; and a specific part for each group. The questionnaire began with general information on the socio-demographic characteristics of the interviewee and her family, farm production and the ecological situation. The central focus of the questionnaire was:
· Vocational and training background.
· Type of agricultural work carried out by the women.
· Women's perception of the present and future farm situation.
· Evaluation of institutional policies to promote rural women socio-professionally.
· Forms of agricultural association and trade unionism: participation and attitudes of farm women.
The questionnaire included 137 items, which had been previously discussed and tested, and which amply covered the various aspects that govern the status of women on the family farm and in the agri-food sector in general.
