*5.1.1. Changing culture and gender roles*

Unlike in the ancient days when culture prohibited women from cultivating and utilizing some plant resources such as indigenous trees and banana fibers, there is a change in modern times because culture is no longer strictly upheld. The introduction of exotic plant resources such as *Cupressus lusitanica* (*mutarakwa*) or Cyprus trees and genetically improved *Musa acuminata* (*amakomia*) or banana fibers has benefited illiterate women who feel free to handle the new plant species unlike indigenous species that culture prohibits women from cultivating and caring for. A respondent reiterated this fact in the following excerpt:

*Beliefs and traditions used to demean women and prohibit them from planting trees and Musa acuminate (amakhola) banana fibres. However, times have changed leading to relaxation of stringent traditions and customs. Nowadays women do plant exotic trees and improved Musa acuminate (amakomia) banana fibres in women groups: something that was considered as a taboo in the olden days. (Female, FGD with farmers in Malava Sub-county)*

These changes have enabled women to play an important role in agro-biodiversity by cultivating, caring for and conserving plant resources by borrowing from traditional indigenous knowledge where women are well endowed as seen earlier. Women provide required food for households because they live in rural areas as spouses live in urban centers due to urbanization. Our findings corroborate with other studies [34]. The vital role played by women in the western Kenya resonates with the emphasis of the Rio Earth Summit that recognized and fostered the traditional methods and the knowledge of indigenous people and communities by emphasizing the particular role of women that is relevant to the conservation of biological diversity and sustainable use of biological resources [71]. Despite the engendered use of plant resources that has been enhanced by modernization and urbanization, there are specific indigenous plant resources that some illiterate women feel uncomfortable to plant due to cultural prohibitions. These include planting indigenous species of *Musa acuminata* (*amakomia*) or bananas, trees and fences, fearing that their spouses could die as elaborated by a respondent in **Box 1**.

**Box 1.** Some women not free to plant bananas and some indigenous trees.

There are some traditions that are still upheld, and these discourage women from planting indigenous plant resources such as *Musa acuminate* (banana) fibers and indigenous trees. Tradition demands that these crops be planted by men only. It is believed that men can die if women plant trees and bananas fibers. To this end, woman must rely on men to plant bananas fibers. If spouses are away, women request brothers-in-law to plant these species on their behalf. But in case the men decline, then bananas fibers and indigenous trees are not planted until when spouses return to villages to play their appropriate roles in homesteads. (Female oral interviewee, Shinyalu Sub-county)
