Climate Change, Food Security and Rural Women Presentation by Sandra Aviles Senior Liaison Officer FAO Office in Geneva

World Food Day – 16 October This year’s theme is: World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy

Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture Declining soil productivity/environmental quality; Health/productivity of forests jeopardized as is biodiversity and ecosystems; Greater incidence of pests and diseases; Extreme weather changes & frequency threaten food security in all its facets; Depletion of natural resources

Impact of Climate Change on rural Women Women’s workload will increase significantly; Mass male-out migration increase the households led by women, increasing their vulnerability; Decline of traditional local knowledge linked to the gradual loss of agro-biodiversity - hence threatening the rural livelihoods of women, who tend to have extensive knowledge and traditional set of skills linked to the management of local crops

Bioenergy: controversial Opportunities: - revitalize agriculture sector; - create sources of employment; - improve rural access to sustainable energy Risks: - displacement; - a loss of agrobiodiversity; - increased water shortages; - increased food prices as biofuel production creates competition for resources with food products.

Bioenergy and rural women Risks as described above are particularly felt by rural women; Less able to participate in biofuel opportunities; Additional burden on rural farmers’ work and health

Addressing Climate Change Challenges Studies conducted on differentiated impacts of climate change – Andra Pradesh, India Raising awareness: - International Women’s Day – 8 March Gender in Agriculture Sourcebook Capacity-building Programmes for governments and communities to understand gender differentiated impacts of climate change Integration of gender perspective into international climate change policymaking

YOU CAN HELP ! Environmentally sustainable and pro-poor biofuel development strategies are needed Rights-base approach needed to be integrated into climate change adaptation and mitigation policies and programmes

Thank you.