15 Understanding Gender Dimensions …
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change because they have to face so many constraints including less access to information, fewer assets and limited access to credit (Nabikolo et al. 2012). It is also noted
that gender-differentiated perceptions to climatic shocks, role within the household
and at the community level and perceptions towards the same climatic event may
differ between men and women (Perez et al. 2015).
Mostly in underdeveloped countries of the global south, farmers use traditional
and out of dated technologies to predict weather patterns, however, it is important to
make them aware of the new and advanced technologies to predict the weather for
better agriculture production. Moreover, in the recent era, access to new and latest
technologies has become one of the essential tools of adaptation among agricultural
communities in the developed world (Tambo and Abdoulaye 2012). However, there
is a need to understand the difference between men and women’s needs and access to
information for better adaptation among female farm owners (Peterman et al. 2014;
Ragasa et al. 2013).
We cannot ignore the role of social and cultural norms with respect to adaptation
context. Social norms restrict women to adopt certain practices for instance agroforestry. Some certain cultures and traditions prohibit women to take the ownership
of land in different African and Asian countries. Simultaneously in traditional societies, women are not preferred to extend long-term loans for advanced agricultural
equipments or they may not encourage adapting new technologies for agricultural
production (Peterman et al. 2011).
In nutshell, people whose livelihood depends on agriculture, climate change events
alter their ability to manage natural resources, which consequently affecting their
income levels (Bernier et al. 2015). Women farm owners are largely neglected by
service providers, and at the same time, they have less access to information. Thus, it
is important to address the needs of both genders in the policy arena, it is even more
important to equip women with the necessary tools and knowledge that helps them
to adapt climate variability (FAO 2011; Peterman et al. 2014; UNWomen 2015).
In essence agricultural impacts of gender is an important area of concern for policymakers as a large number of women are engaged in the agriculture sector in the
global south. Therefore, present research adds on the existing literature on gender
and climate change that it is particularly focusing on the selected region from the
global south and will be an attempt to motivate the policymakers to focus on the
selected regions in the future.
15.4 Agricultural Impacts from Climatic Disasters:
Understanding Gender Dimensions in Southern
African and the Asia Pacific Countries
The degree to which individuals are influenced by climate change and extreme
weather conditions is distributed differently among different genders (IPCC 2001).
In many national and worldwide disaster reduction approaches, information on
how climate change identifies with social imbalance is frequently downplayed
285
change because they have to face so many constraints including less access to information, fewer assets and limited access to credit (Nabikolo et al. 2012). It is also noted
that gender-differentiated perceptions to climatic shocks, role within the household
and at the community level and perceptions towards the same climatic event may
differ between men and women (Perez et al. 2015).
Mostly in underdeveloped countries of the global south, farmers use traditional
and out of dated technologies to predict weather patterns, however, it is important to
make them aware of the new and advanced technologies to predict the weather for
better agriculture production. Moreover, in the recent era, access to new and latest
technologies has become one of the essential tools of adaptation among agricultural
communities in the developed world (Tambo and Abdoulaye 2012). However, there
is a need to understand the difference between men and women’s needs and access to
information for better adaptation among female farm owners (Peterman et al. 2014;
Ragasa et al. 2013).
We cannot ignore the role of social and cultural norms with respect to adaptation
context. Social norms restrict women to adopt certain practices for instance agroforestry. Some certain cultures and traditions prohibit women to take the ownership
of land in different African and Asian countries. Simultaneously in traditional societies, women are not preferred to extend long-term loans for advanced agricultural
equipments or they may not encourage adapting new technologies for agricultural
production (Peterman et al. 2011).
In nutshell, people whose livelihood depends on agriculture, climate change events
alter their ability to manage natural resources, which consequently affecting their
income levels (Bernier et al. 2015). Women farm owners are largely neglected by
service providers, and at the same time, they have less access to information. Thus, it
is important to address the needs of both genders in the policy arena, it is even more
important to equip women with the necessary tools and knowledge that helps them
to adapt climate variability (FAO 2011; Peterman et al. 2014; UNWomen 2015).
In essence agricultural impacts of gender is an important area of concern for policymakers as a large number of women are engaged in the agriculture sector in the
global south. Therefore, present research adds on the existing literature on gender
and climate change that it is particularly focusing on the selected region from the
global south and will be an attempt to motivate the policymakers to focus on the
selected regions in the future.
15.4 Agricultural Impacts from Climatic Disasters:
Understanding Gender Dimensions in Southern
African and the Asia Pacific Countries
The degree to which individuals are influenced by climate change and extreme
weather conditions is distributed differently among different genders (IPCC 2001).
In many national and worldwide disaster reduction approaches, information on
how climate change identifies with social imbalance is frequently downplayed