Poverty and subsistence agriculture: the old men do not emigrate

In rural subsistence family groups, undergoing secular poverty, women had to take on the greater part of the agricultural tasks throughout the year, while the men used to keep themselves ready for the periods of greatest work, spending the rest of the year doing different activities which meant they had to leave the community but assured a minimum monetary income for the family.

The older men and the women stayed in the village all year round. The short stature and much-repaired clothing of the old men in the picture is evidence of their lacks.