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University of Oviedo,Oviedo Spain

"Gender, changing climates and agricultural productivity: assessing the roles and vulnerabilities of rural women in Cameroon". University of Oviedo,Oviedo Spain. Dr. Capitolina Diaz & Sah A.Nancy. Poverty and Changing Climates in Rural Cameroon: Does Gender Matter?. Sah A. Nancy.

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University of Oviedo,Oviedo Spain

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  1. "Gender, changing climates and agricultural productivity: assessing the roles and vulnerabilities of rural women in Cameroon" University of Oviedo,Oviedo Spain Dr. Capitolina Diaz & Sah A.Nancy

  2. Poverty and Changing Climates in Rural Cameroon: Does Gender Matter? • Sah A. Nancy

  3. Significance of climate change for poor people…

  4. Why Gender and climate change? Climate change exacerbates existing inequalities and reinforces differences between women and men in terms of their vulnerability and ability to cope with climate change (UNDP 2007) greater number of the world’s poorest are women, and as a result of their dependence on natural resources and agriculture, women are more powerfully affected by changing weather patterns than men (IPCC 2007).

  5. Cameroon • lower middle income country with a population of approximately 20 million • 58 per cent of Cameroonians live in urban areas (UNFPA, 2010 • 40% of Cameroonians live below the poverty line • 75% of the poor live in the rural areas and depend on agriculture • 52 % of people in poor rural households are Women • (ECAM III, 2007; Norrington-Davies, 2011)

  6. The Agriculture sector employs around 60% of the work force and contributes 21% to GDP (AfDB, 2009). Most rural households (97 %) are engaged in crop production while 72% combine animal rearing with farming. Peasant farming accounts for 40% of Cameroon’s export crop production and 72% of food crops (AfDB, 2010)

  7. Additionally….. • The question of why women are more affected by climate change is, however, not only about access to resources, but also about a gender-based division of labor(Bridge 2008,Dankelman 2002, 2008, WEDO 2008) )

  8. Under Climatic stress…. • Rural women are most vulnerable because they are are dependent on environment for livelihood • Their dependency is fueled by gender discrimination which limit women’s coping strategies

  9. Case Study Santa (Mbei and Njong) • Principal livelihood activities crop farming and livestock rearing • Women constituting a majority involved in crop farming • Those responsible for food provision for house hold and community at large

  10. Perceptions that rains are increasingly unpredictable Too Heavy when it does rain Affects planting season and all processes involved Negative consequences on crop yields Rural farmers perceptions of changing climates Focus groups (women& men Interviews

  11. No Same Realities……Women Women and girls work longer hours in order to secure food Coupled with household work women barely have time to participate in other community activities Limited adaptation options ( limited skills and access to resources such as land reinforce dependency on agriculture

  12. Vicious cycle, Gender strata reinforced, • Having different opportunities limits women access to income sources • Gender roles are reinforced • Few women can attend decision making processes at local levels

  13. Not only victims..Agents of change • As those most involved they possess knowledge and expertise that can be used in climate change adaptation, mitigation • As community members their perspectives must be taken into climate change adaptation processes

  14. Implication for adaptation Since women and men are often influenced by different economic, social, and political conditions hence resulting in different needs and interests….. • Adaptation policies and actions must be sensitive to context realities

  15. Recommendations • Climate risks need to be integrated into development policy • Vulnerability profiles be done which capture • Intersections of existing inequalities and other causes of susceptibility to climate change in rural areas. • Include gender analysis to establish gender roles, differential sensitivities and adaptive capacities of men and women.

  16. Adaptation programs should challenge status-quo And Capacitate poor rural women with the Knowledge Skills Rights To be more resilient to environmental stress factors like climate change. Strategic and Practical needs

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