81
sions and individual interviews (including key informants) revealed the following
findings regarding men and women’s capacity to cope with or adapt to climate
change including climate variability. Both men and women in the zone from the two
rice production systems indicated that although it had become difficult to access
information and other natural resources such as water, medicinal plants, and different types of grass plants used for thatching houses and making baskets and mats,
they could still rely on some of these resources to cope. The majority of the women
indicated that they resorted to using grass plants to make mats and baskets which
they sold to generate some income.
Men however indicated that the time spent collecting grass was too long and the
activity was quite tedious. They added that in addition to earning very little income
from the mats, one had to craft it first, an activity which needed patience and more
time. However male respondents indicated that they were more interested in quicker
income-generating strategies and wage employment. Consequently, the majority of
them were migrating to other towns in search of employment opportunities. Other
coping strategies included selling of labor. This was reported by the majority of
women, who indicated that it was a faster means of obtaining money for daily food
and health expenses, given that in most cases their spouses were away looking for
jobs or in bars socializing and taking alcohol. The respondents however found it
easier to discuss their coping strategies based on the conditions they were adjusting
to. The conditions they mainly addressed were extreme drought, severe floods, and
increased pest and disease incidences. Below are observations made in relation to
the coping strategies and the conditions in which they best applied for women
and men.
Based on the various coping strategies employed by the respondents during
drought conditions, as indicated in Fig. 10, it is evident that majority of men turn to
making bricks, digging latrines, selling assets and labor, and growing resistant varieties. On the other hand, majority of women resort to changing the types of crops
grown, cultivating small areas, early planting, poultry production, and selling of
labor. During the flooding conditions, the majority of men resort to digging and
building water channels and bands, fishing, and selling assets. Shifting to rice production and draining farms of excess water was highly reported by both women and
men, whereas migrating to relatives was reported by more women (see Fig. 11).
These findings show that both during drought and flooding conditions, men generally resort to off-farm and non-farm activities, while women still stick to farming
activities as means of coping. This may imply that men unlike women have resources
to diversify away from agriculture when climatic conditions become too harsh for
agricultural production, hence better able to sustain livelihoods than women.
Respondents indicated that during pest and disease outbreaks, they employed
various strategies, as observed in Fig. 12. Among these strategies, the majority of
men planted resistant varieties, performed pest and disease management, sought
trainings in crop management, and made bricks. Female respondents reported more
crop nutrition management, among other strategies that were similar to those
employed by the majority of male respondents. The other coping strategies employed
to address the negative effects of ECV were going to the neighboring villages to sell
Gendered Adaptation and Coping Mechanisms to Climate Variability in Eastern…
sions and individual interviews (including key informants) revealed the following
findings regarding men and women’s capacity to cope with or adapt to climate
change including climate variability. Both men and women in the zone from the two
rice production systems indicated that although it had become difficult to access
information and other natural resources such as water, medicinal plants, and different types of grass plants used for thatching houses and making baskets and mats,
they could still rely on some of these resources to cope. The majority of the women
indicated that they resorted to using grass plants to make mats and baskets which
they sold to generate some income.
Men however indicated that the time spent collecting grass was too long and the
activity was quite tedious. They added that in addition to earning very little income
from the mats, one had to craft it first, an activity which needed patience and more
time. However male respondents indicated that they were more interested in quicker
income-generating strategies and wage employment. Consequently, the majority of
them were migrating to other towns in search of employment opportunities. Other
coping strategies included selling of labor. This was reported by the majority of
women, who indicated that it was a faster means of obtaining money for daily food
and health expenses, given that in most cases their spouses were away looking for
jobs or in bars socializing and taking alcohol. The respondents however found it
easier to discuss their coping strategies based on the conditions they were adjusting
to. The conditions they mainly addressed were extreme drought, severe floods, and
increased pest and disease incidences. Below are observations made in relation to
the coping strategies and the conditions in which they best applied for women
and men.
Based on the various coping strategies employed by the respondents during
drought conditions, as indicated in Fig. 10, it is evident that majority of men turn to
making bricks, digging latrines, selling assets and labor, and growing resistant varieties. On the other hand, majority of women resort to changing the types of crops
grown, cultivating small areas, early planting, poultry production, and selling of
labor. During the flooding conditions, the majority of men resort to digging and
building water channels and bands, fishing, and selling assets. Shifting to rice production and draining farms of excess water was highly reported by both women and
men, whereas migrating to relatives was reported by more women (see Fig. 11).
These findings show that both during drought and flooding conditions, men generally resort to off-farm and non-farm activities, while women still stick to farming
activities as means of coping. This may imply that men unlike women have resources
to diversify away from agriculture when climatic conditions become too harsh for
agricultural production, hence better able to sustain livelihoods than women.
Respondents indicated that during pest and disease outbreaks, they employed
various strategies, as observed in Fig. 12. Among these strategies, the majority of
men planted resistant varieties, performed pest and disease management, sought
trainings in crop management, and made bricks. Female respondents reported more
crop nutrition management, among other strategies that were similar to those
employed by the majority of male respondents. The other coping strategies employed
to address the negative effects of ECV were going to the neighboring villages to sell
Gendered Adaptation and Coping Mechanisms to Climate Variability in Eastern…