Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Gender, Climate Change and Sustainable Intensification: major research challenges Eve Crowley, Deputy Director Yianna Lambrou, Senior Officer Marja-Liisa Tapio-Bistrom, Senior Officer 1CCFAS, Bonn June 2011

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Women are a key resource in agriculture and CC adaptation Source: ILO. Share of employed population by sector and gender

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department But they control less land

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Women farmers produce less per unit of land...

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department …because they use fewer inputs (e.g. fertilizer)

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Economic and social gains from closing the gender gap  Productivity gains 20 to 30 percent on women’s farms 2.5 to 4 percent at national level  Food security gains 12 to 17 percent reduction in the number of hungry 100 to 150 million people lifted out of hunger  Broader economic and social gains Better health, nutrition and education outcomes for children Builds human capital, which promotes economic growth

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Main message  Gender inequality imposes real costs on the agricultural sector, food security, economic growth and broader social welfare.  Closing the gender gap is not just the right thing to do: it makes economic sense  Yet women’s lower inputs use means less carbon emission/land conversion/petrol-based inputs Can this model be scaled up as a basis for sustainable intensification and climate change adaptation

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Greater gender equality is critical for climate-smart agriculture that yields  sustainable increases in productivity  resilience (adaptation)  reduces/removes greenhouse gases (mitigation) and  enhances achievement of national food security and development goals

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Gender differences mediate climate impacts  skills/knowledge about the environment, animals, crops due to cultural values and experience roles/tasks  vulnerability and impacts exposure to risk, opportunities, due to pre-existing inequalities (access to assets) can be more directly affected (if poor), because rely more on natural resources  response and adaptation strategies fewer options access to different coping strategies and safety nets thinner buffer, weaker resilience

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Different responses (India) Women  eat less  migrate for work close by (57% vs 38% men) Men  psychological stress  migrate for work further away (47% vs. 18% women)  let land remain fallow  work on publicly funded construction projects  buy less nutritious rice from the government Common responses Different options (India) Women  face discrimination, limited landholding, less access to information and institutional support Men  have access to information on cropping patterns (47% vs. 21% women)

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Social equality is also important  Correlations (UNDP, HDI 2011): higher levels of carbon emissions and higher levels of human development (especially income) (also true for time series)  Regions are affected differently (S. Saharan Africa and Asia most affected by CC - precipitation)  Some countries have successfully reduced social and economic inequalities and environmental impacts simultaneously (Costa Rica, Tunisia)

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Research and development principles  Build accountability for gender equality in programmes (budgets, capacities, monitoring, incentives)  Support gender equitable climate-smart agricultural investments  Set and track targets for women’s participation at all levels

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Research principles  Distinguish end users and their needs, involve those who will sustain/implement projects from the beginning  Build on existing knowledge/institutions  Consult both men and women in vulnerability analysis, evaluations of methodologies, participatory policy processes  Incorporate gender-sensitive approaches in service and information provision  Set + track targets for women’s participation  Build in accountability for gender ($, M&E, incentives, capacities) CCFAS, Bonn June

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Some existing gendered tools for CCAFS  Generic toolkit to integrate gender into CC research and planning (adapted SEAGA methodology to address climate change, tested Uganda, Bangladesh, Ghana) (FAO-CCAFS)  Methodology to incorporate gender differences in knowledge and coping strategies into long- term planning (tested India, FAO) 14CCFAS, Bonn June 2011

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Research challenges- Cross ecosystem/community/aggregate impact of women’s production systems  Data needs: economics of climate smart practices, including impacts of climate financing systems such as carbon payments differentiated impacts and differentiated choices, monitoring and measuring farmer resilience (biophysical and socio-cultural) and changes in farming practices and informal economy, impacts on the 4 food security pillars  Institutional needs: building transparency and good climate-agriculture- food security governance to buffer climate and market volatility impacts financing options to fund mitigation mechanisms strengthening regional expertise/networks + capacities CCFAS, Bonn June

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Research challenges- Community, household  Data needs management of climate related risks in households at local, regional and national levels impacts of climate smart agricultural practices on both intra and inter household food security best policies and practices to reduce gender inequalities in access to rural resources, services, decision making

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Research gaps- climate smart sustainable intensification technologies  harvesting, processing and supply chain technologies and institutions that reduce losses and waste and generate income for women  best public services, infrastructure, domestic energy and water technologies to free-up women’s time and enhance income  how best to scale up sustainable production technologies which generate equal or greater gains for women, while maintaining their apparently comparatively low carbon foot print.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The State of Food and Agriculture Economic and Social Development Department Thank you