Role of S&T Communication Role of S&T Communication towards Gender Sensitive towards Gender Sensitive Climate Smart AgricultureClimate Smart Agriculture

Kinkini Dasgupta MisraScientist ‘F’

Vigyan PrasarDepartment of Science and Technology

Flow of Talk• Why gender sensitization is important?• Women’s contribution in natural resource based livelihood• Climate Change and Vulnerability of Women• Challenges

Societal challengesEducational challengesEconomic challenges

Institutional Challenges

• Observed effects of Climate Change on women• Tackling Climate Change in Agriculture and Gender Issue • Few successful adaptation methods• S &T Communication strategies and Gender Harmony-

Vigyan Prasar’s Approach.

Why Gender Sensitization is important?

• Women play fundamental role in family• Women play an essential role towards the food and nutrition

security of their families and communities • Women work for 16-18 hours per day• Play significant role of multitasking in productive and

household work.• Play the stressful responsibility of family networking and

social and moral justice.

Women’s contribution in natural resource-based livelihood

• Women form 2/3rd of the world’s workforce• Account for 70% of agricultural labour force in India• Along India’s coast more than half of fish workers are women• Half of India’s forest workers are women• Majority of tribal women are marginalised and victims of social

injustice.

Climate Change and Vulnerability of Women• Because they constitute majority of the

world’s poor and are more dependent on natural resources

• Majority of women work in agriculture and food security

• Limited contribution in decision making.

• Confined sphere of influence and defined boundaries

• No requisite resources are available which makes them more vulnerable.

Challenges in Coping Capacity

Societal challenges

Educational challenges

Economic challenges

Institutional Challenges

Societal challenges• Societal perceptions not supportive to their needs• Women lack confidence to demand rights • Women from low-income communities, rural and tribal

bear a heavier burden from the impacts of climate change because they are more reliant upon natural resources for survival

• Women are generally working in poor infrastructure environment

• Lack decision making power in family• Lack ownership of land and economic independence• Gender equality within the family is a serious concern.

Educational Challenges• Girl school drop-outs rate is high.• Recent studies revealed that due to climate-related

disasters, the workload of women and girls increases and such reasons tend to miss out educational opportunities and career.

• Low education levels limit access to climate information, knowledge and technology.

• Limited access to scientific information on adaptation strategies

• Women often have unequal access to information and resources.

Economic Challenges

• Represent fewer than 10% of all agricultural land owners.• Lack independence sources of income.• Even when they contribute to the family income, they are

not allowed to make financial decisions in the family• Economic stresses have even forced some into unfamiliar

occupations. This often leads to exploitation

Institutional Challenges

• Women are under-represented in decision-making and hence their voices are not reflected in policies and planning

• Need for full-fledged working group to address women issues

• Lack of women-centric schemes for adaptation• Lack of women employment

Observed effects of climate change on womenAgriculture:• Women lose their crops due to climatic adversity like

droughts and floods, which affect food security. • Due to climate change, women are exposed to health

hazards. • Loss of livelihood forced women to search for other sources

of income.• Families have lost their farms due to sea level rise and high

water salinity in Sunderban’s and other areas

Fishery:• In areas on Uttar Karnataka women were dependent of shell

fish catch from the river.• Catch decreased due to changing rainfall pattern and water

flow• Trying to cope with the low income.

Forestry: • Some trees on which the women depended for their

livelihood are dying due to change in climate.• Women are trying to cope with the limited stock.• There are regular disputes among women who collect the

leaves were included in adaptation and mitigation efforts.

Tackling Climate Change and Gender Issue in Agriculture

• The need for Gender sensitive response to the effects of Climate Change in each policy.

• Women’s knowledge and social practices could be used to build policies on adaptation and mitigation.

• Facility of dry season farming can make women in rural area produce vegetables throughout the year for consumption and sale.

• Stress on food and seed storage using traditional silos and integrated pest management for food security.

• Emphasis on engaging women as key actors in many disaster-response programmes and in early warning initiatives.

• Engaging female extension workers in coping with climate change impacts in agriculture and promote climate-smart agricultural practices

• Approaches to adaptation for development-oriented approach that aims to build broader resilience to climate hazards.

Way Forward• Since women are “victims”

they can be effective “agents of change”.

• Knowledge essential for women to overcome climate adversities.

• There are available solutions to adverse impact of Climate change which is needed to be translated to farm women and make them accessible and affordable.

• Rights of rural women to be ensured in regards to food security, non-discriminatory access to resources, and equitable participation in decision-making processes.

Way Forward

• Women-centric schemes for adaptation

• Community level awareness

• Helping farm women to adapt to climate change will result in:– Resilient communities– Food Security– Increased incomes– Reduce green house gas emissions from agriculture

Community Grain Bank in Andhra Pradesh

Village level grain bank in Sunderban, West Bengal

Traditional paddy seeds are stored in earthen pots at the Tentulipar community gene-seed-grain bank, Odisha

Few adaptation methods coping with climate change

leaf colour chart to judge the nitrogen content required for crops, Bihar

S &T Communication Strategies and Gender Harmony- Vigyan Prasar’s Approach

• Information, education and communication interventions have to take note of the climate change and its adverse effects on women engaged in various agricultural practices.•The design and delivery of need – based communication

strategies to take note of the– Efforts of institutions already active at the local level– Preparedness of communities to comprehend scientific

information and technology that will be delivered – Focus on women's perceptions about their rights– Address the necessity of gender dimension in climate

policies

• Adopt climate resilient livelihoods, crop diversity and adopt climate resilient crops

• Enablers of larger scale capacity building & dissemination to sustain action

• Building a consortium of equal mandated governmental and non governmental agencies for single window operation

• Demonstration of climate change technology through Community of Practitioners

• Induction of climate change adaptability through field and skill based training programmes for community and rural development centres

References

1. Are there gender impacts from 'climate-smart' agriculture? Christine Jost, Gopal Bhatta and Manon Verchot

2. Gender and Equity. 3. Christine Jost, Science Officer from Theme: Linking Knowledge with Action4. Addressing Gender in Climate-Smart Smallholder Agriculture,

https://cgspace.cgiar.org/handle/10568/278365. Bogdanski Agriculture & Food Security 2012, 1:96. DOI: 10.1080/13552074.2013.802158, Gender & Development. S. Laurel Weldon &

Mala Htun, pages 231-2477. DOI: 10.1080/13552070215911, Valerie Nelson, Kate Meadows, Terry Cannon, John

Morton & Adrienne Martin, pages 51-598. Climate change: Learning from gender analysis and women's experiences of organising

for sustainable development. Irene Dankelman, pages 21-299. Gender and Climate Hazards in Bangladesh. Terry Cannon, pages 45-5010. UN WomenWatch: www.un.org/womenwatch The UN Internet Gateway on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women