Farmers in a changing climate: does gender matter?

Food security in Andhara Pradesh, India

This report presents the findings of research undertaken in six villages in two drought-prone districts of Andhra Pradesh, India, Mahbubnagar and Anantapur. The study, carried out by an international team led by FAO, used gender, institutional, and climate analyses to document the trends in climate variability men and women farmers are facing and their responses to ensure food security in the context of larger socio-economic and political challenges to their livelihoods and well-being.

The report's findings confirm that there is a strong gender dimension to the way in which climate variability is experienced and expressed by farmers in their coping strategies to ensure their livelihoods and food security. It also demonstrates that gender analysis enhances our understanding of what farmers perceive as risks and how they respond to climatic changes. Finally, It makes some recommendations for future research and for incorporating gender issues into adaptation to long-term climate change.