As we reel under the looming threat of climate change, empowering women in agriculture can help boost productivity levels and ensure food security.
Climate change poses a grave threat to agricultural production, thus severely impacting food security. While climate change knows no gender, women are disproportionately vulnerable to its impact. This coincides with the emerging trend of feminisation of agriculture in the Global South. Globally, women constitute about 43 percent of the agricultural workforce, with more than two-thirds of employed women in South Asia engaged in agriculture (see Figure 1), and over half of the farmers in eastern Africa being women.
Figure 1 Percentage Employment in Agriculture in South Asian Countries
Source: World Bank, 2020
Although women play a substantial role in agriculture, their productivity levels fall far behind that of men by 20 to 30 percent. This disparity is concerning, especially considering the increasing involvement of women in agriculture and its implications for food security. A 2023 Food and Agricultural Organisation report highlights that closing the gender gap in productivity could have significant economic benefits, potentially boosting global GDP by US$ 1 trillion and reducing food insecurity for approximately 45 million people.
Closing the gender gap in productivity could have significant economic benefits, potentially boosting global GDP by US$ 1 trillion and reducing food insecurity for approximately 45 million people.
One significant driver leading to agriculture being feminised is the out-migration of men, who seek urban employment opportunities, leaving behind a workforce vacuum in rural agricultural settings. Additionally, the adverse impacts of climatic changes on agriculture, such as the recent heat waves can negatively impact crop production, prompting men to diversify their income sources. Therefore, in many South Asian rural households, families adopt a dual livelihood strategy, relying on both farming and migrant wage work due to the inability of either to meet minimum needs or facilitate economic upliftment.
Families adopt a dual livelihood strategy, relying on both farming and migrant wage work due to the inability of either to meet minimum needs or facilitate economic upliftment.
The discourse surrounding the feminisation of agriculture is, however, highly polarised. On the one hand, it is seen as a positive development for women, indicating that this has led to greater agency for women, with some studies reporting an increase in women's decision-making power and ownership of assets. In essence, this trend could be looked at in a way that challenges traditional gender roles and norms, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable agricultural sector.
Conversely, studies also link this phenomenon to agrarian distress, as it is often influenced by factors such as economic and sociocultural status. A key challenge for women in agriculture is the limited access to land ownership, which in turn limits their ability to secure credit. Additionally, challenges in accessing agricultural technology and information put women in agriculture at a significant disadvantage. Now with the escalating threat of climate change, these vulnerabilities are further exacerbated.
Women are dependent on critical natural resources crucial for agriculture, such as water and fuel, and therefore face heightened risks as climate change intensifies. For instance, they experience increased workloads due to climate-induced factors, spending more time on unpaid domestic and care duties—where women spend four hours a day on unpaid domestic and care work, men spend less than two. Climate change is, therefore, found to amplify pre-existing gender inequalities in agriculture and poses serious consequences in achieving food security across multiple dimensions, including availability, accessibility, utilisation, and system stability.
As outlined in a 2024 FAO report, titled ‘The Unjust Climate’, female-headed households experience an average income loss of 8 percent more due to heat stress and 3 percent more due to floods compared to male-headed households. If global temperatures were to rise by just 1°C, these households would face a substantial 34 percent greater income reduction compared to men. Given the notable disparities in agricultural productivity and earnings between genders, the report indicates that failure to address these issues will significantly exacerbate these gaps in the future. In other words, climate shocks lead to heightened labour demands on women.
With climate finance as a pivotal avenue, it's disconcerting to note that a mere 3 percent of the allocated funds were directed towards the agricultural sector, with an even smaller fraction earmarked for adaptation efforts. Furthermore, an analysis of the climate action plans outlined in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of 24 countries revealed a stark gender disparity. Among over 4,000 explicit climate actions identified in national adaptation plans, merely 6 percent mentioned women, indicating a glaring gap in gender mainstreaming within climate policy frameworks.
Figure 2 OECD climate finance in agriculture and land-use sectors showing gender focus
Source: CGIAR, 2023
Considering the substantial contribution of women in agriculture, adopting a gender-focused approach is imperative. Empowering women in agriculture holds the key to boosting productivity levels and ensuring food security, as we reel under the looming threat of climate change.
To bolster women's empowerment and enhance their resilience to climate change, priority should be placed on policies aimed at addressing gender disparities in land ownership rights.
Below are focus areas that addresses food security by empowering women in agriculture:-
Strengthening women's land ownership rights and access to financial resources: At a global level women produce 45-80 percent of the global food supply and yet own less than 10 percent of the global land supply. To bolster women's empowerment and enhance their resilience to climate change, priority should be placed on policies aimed at addressing gender disparities in land ownership rights. Secure land tenure not only grants women access to government schemes but also amplifies their role in household decision-making. Moreover, owning land enables women to access credit, further empowering them economically.
Providing access to technical resources: A UN study finds that women can increase agricultural yields by 20-30 percent when provided with the same resources as men, reducing hunger by 12-17 percent. This could entail providing targeted training programmes to women farmers, enabling them to adopt improved Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA) practices.
Providing access to digital and financial resources: Additionally, efforts should be made to bridge the gender gap in digital and financial literacy. Women's participation in decision-making and access to information and resources are crucial for the successful adoption of CSA approaches. By empowering women with the necessary knowledge and skills, we equip them to adapt to climate change and contribute to sustainable agricultural practices.
Increasing climate financing with a gender-specific approach: Climate finance directed towards agriculture has the potential to narrow the gender gap in productivity. Given the existing shortfall in climate financing for agriculture, we can maximise its effectiveness by adopting a gender-focused approach. This approach not only addresses gender disparities but also boosts productivity levels, making women in agriculture more resilient to climate change threats. This, in turn, positively impacts food security, fostering a more empowered feminisation of the agricultural sector.
Sharon Sarah Thawaney is the Executive Assistant to the Director at the Observer Research Foundation, Kolkata.
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Sharon Sarah Thawaney is the Executive Assistant to the Director - ORF Kolkata and CNED, Dr. Nilanjan Ghosh. She holds a Master of Social Work ...
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