ABSTRACT
Time allocation studies are frequently used to describe gender and age based labor patterns. Methods of time allocation research applicable to gender and farming systems can be described according to the information objective of the research, the way in which that information is collected, and the way in which the data are interpreted. This chapter examines commonly used methods of data collection in time allocation studies. It reviews of general characteristics of time allocation studies found in the literature. Issues requiring closer scrutiny are identified. The chapter describes methodologies that were used in a 1984-85 study of shifting cultivators in Negros Oriental, the Philippines. Each of the methodologies is evaluated according to how well it contributed to the understanding of upland farming patterns and the organization of household labor. Finally, the chapter discusses some implications for the use of time allocation data in farming systems research projects.
