Climate Change, Gendered Vulnerabilities and Adaptation Strategies: A Participatory Research in West Africa

Balikisu Osman, Ayansina Ayanlade

Research output: Contribution to Book/Report typesChapterpeer-review

Abstract (may include machine translation)

This study examines gender-related vulnerability and adaptation responses among rural farmers in the West African region. A comparative analysis was performed relating to sensitivities, perceptions of climate change impacts, and adaptation methods used by smallholder farmers in Ghana and Nigeria. The study sites are located in the foremost agricultural zone in both Nigeria and Ghana. Mixed methods and multi-disciplinary approaches were used in this study. Climate change impacts and multi-risk were assessed using a multiplying vulnerability indices approach by employing both quantitative and qualitative data from questionnaires and focused group discussion (FGD) in both study countries. Over 70% confirmed that temperatures are increasingly rising in all the study sites, while nearly 80% agreed that drought/dryness is becoming common. The results further show that women are much more vulnerable to climate change than men, and female farmers are less likely to adopt climate resilience practices than their male counterparts due to variations in their access to the asset. The study concludes that the overall social impacts of climate change in West Africa are overwhelming among rural farmers, but there is gender variation in terms of vulnerability and risk.
Original languageAmerican English
Title of host publicationClimate Change and Regional Socio-Economic Systems in the Global South
EditorsMukunda Mishra, Andrews José de Lucena, Brij Maharaj
PublisherSpringer
Pages191-211
ISBN (Electronic)978-981-97-3870-0
ISBN (Print)978-981-97-3870-0, 978-981-97-3869-4, 978-981-97-3872-4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2024

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