507
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
B. R. Singh et al. (eds.), Climate Impacts on Agricultural and Natural Resource
Sustainability in Africa, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37537-9_29
Gender Differentiation in the Adoption
of Climate Smart Agriculture Technologies
and Level of Adaptive Capacity to Climate
Change in Malawi
Tasokwa Kakota Chibowa, Gry Synnevag, Beston Maonga,
and Michael Mainje
Abstract The gender gap in agriculture and its consequences for household
food security and livelihoods are well documented. In Malawi, women perform
between 50% and 70% of all agricultural tasks and produce almost 70% of the
food. This study was conducted to assess gender differences in the adoption of
climate smart agriculture (CSA) technologies and level of adaptive capacity of
smallholder farmers in Malawi. The study used mixed methods in both data collection and analysis. Data were collected through 8 focus group discussions and
individual household interviews with 229 male- and female-headed households
from Dowa, Nkhotakota and Phalombe districts. A four-step adaptive capacity
ladder to climate change impacts was developed. The results showed that gender
gaps still exist in adoption and adaptive capacities. Over 70% of the male farmers
adopted the climate smart agriculture technologies, while less than 30% of the
female farmers adopted the technologies. The main constraints leading to low
adoption among female farmers were high input demand and cost of inputs,
labour requirement, lack of credit opportunities and income. Female farmers
adopted technologies that required less input and were labour saving. In general,
female farmers had lower adaptive capacity than male farmers. Farmers who had
low adaptive capacity adopted few technologies. There is an urgent need for
cost-effective and labour-saving technologies, policies and plans that enhance
adaptive capacity of farmers, particularly female farmers.
T. K. Chibowa (*) · B. Maonga
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Lilongwe, Malawi
G. Synnevag
Noragric, University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
M. Mainje
Development Fund of Norway, Lilongwe, Malawi
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
B. R. Singh et al. (eds.), Climate Impacts on Agricultural and Natural Resource
Sustainability in Africa, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37537-9_29
Gender Differentiation in the Adoption
of Climate Smart Agriculture Technologies
and Level of Adaptive Capacity to Climate
Change in Malawi
Tasokwa Kakota Chibowa, Gry Synnevag, Beston Maonga,
and Michael Mainje
Abstract The gender gap in agriculture and its consequences for household
food security and livelihoods are well documented. In Malawi, women perform
between 50% and 70% of all agricultural tasks and produce almost 70% of the
food. This study was conducted to assess gender differences in the adoption of
climate smart agriculture (CSA) technologies and level of adaptive capacity of
smallholder farmers in Malawi. The study used mixed methods in both data collection and analysis. Data were collected through 8 focus group discussions and
individual household interviews with 229 male- and female-headed households
from Dowa, Nkhotakota and Phalombe districts. A four-step adaptive capacity
ladder to climate change impacts was developed. The results showed that gender
gaps still exist in adoption and adaptive capacities. Over 70% of the male farmers
adopted the climate smart agriculture technologies, while less than 30% of the
female farmers adopted the technologies. The main constraints leading to low
adoption among female farmers were high input demand and cost of inputs,
labour requirement, lack of credit opportunities and income. Female farmers
adopted technologies that required less input and were labour saving. In general,
female farmers had lower adaptive capacity than male farmers. Farmers who had
low adaptive capacity adopted few technologies. There is an urgent need for
cost-effective and labour-saving technologies, policies and plans that enhance
adaptive capacity of farmers, particularly female farmers.
T. K. Chibowa (*) · B. Maonga
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Lilongwe, Malawi
G. Synnevag
Noragric, University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
M. Mainje
Development Fund of Norway, Lilongwe, Malawi