CHAPTER 4
 GLOBALIZATION AND NTAES: THE CASE OF THE FLOWER
 INDUSTRY IN ECUADOR

 As explained in Chapter 2, peasant women traditionally have had a major role in

subsistence agriculture in Ecuador and other countries, which was severely affected by

the change of economic paradigms that occurred over the last two decades. While

subsistence agriculture was fading during the early 80s, another economic activity was

emerging, favored by the same conditions that determined the disruption of domestic

agriculture.

 In this chapter I will explain the economic and political conditions that provoked

the emergence of the NTAEs, which has produced changes in women's activities and in

households. Stressing the analysis in Ecuador, I will describe the measures framed in the

globalization and neoliberal processes that have promoted the emergence of flower

agribusiness, the main NTAEs in Ecuador. I will also describe the potential threats that

could determine the decline of this industry as a leading source of national earnings.

Finally I will discuss the link between women and flower agribusiness, which is part of

the international trend of the gender oriented workforce of NTAEs.

 The importance of the analysis about the loss of the peasant subsistence economy,

the emergence of NTAEs, and women's involvement in this new trend in agrarian

production is to show how peasant women are deprived of one of their realms of

household roles.