Assesses the effect (balance or imbalance) of the present relationships between the natural resource base and human activities; examines the role of some potentially destabilising forces, i.e, international markets, government programmes and socio-economic stratification; and reviews government's role in terms of its contributions to prudent natural resource management and options for the promotion of sustainable rural development.

This paper reviews the literature on the participation of women and children in agricultural activities in Latin America and the Caribbean. The review focuses on participation through labor in agriculture overall and in certain agricultural activities in particular. Also reviewed are the rural family`s access to and capacity for decision-making on resources. Factors influencing such participation are analyzed, such as farm size, land ownership, income levels, racial origin, and destiny of production.

PART ONE: RESEARCH FRAMEWORK