Climate Risks for Women in Agri-Food Systems: Hotspot Map Highlights Vulnerability

A new hotspot map, developed by an international team of researchers, reveals that women engaged in agri-food systems in Africa and Asia, including India, face the highest climate risks. The map, ranking 87 countries based on climate change threats to women in agricultural sectors, identifies areas where climate hazards, exposure faced by women, and vulnerability due to gender inequalities converge.

Key Findings

1. India’s Ranking: India stands 12th on the risk index, highlighting the significant climate threats faced by women in its agri-food systems.
2. Methodology: The research combined insights on climate, gender, and agri-food systems to map “climate–agriculture–gender inequality hotspots.” Central, east, and southern Africa, along with west and south Asia, were identified as particularly at risk.
3. Asian Countries: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nepal also feature in the rankings, with the second, fourth, seventh, and eighth positions, respectively.
4. Climate–Gender Inequality Hotspots: The study emphasizes that climate hazards, high exposure faced by women, and high vulnerability due to gender inequalities converge in specific regions, indicating climate–gender inequality hotspots.

Implications for Policymaking

1. Addressing Gender Inequality: The research underscores that gender is a crucial determinant of the impact of climate hazards. It emphasizes the need for gender-responsive climate action to address underlying inequalities.
2. Informing Decision-Making: The hotspot maps can serve as an entry point for policymaking, informing decisions around gender-responsive climate action. The insights can guide the allocation of resources to populations at the highest risk.
3. COP28 and Climate Investments: The study suggests that the hotspot maps can be instrumental in discussions like COP28 and negotiations on loss and damage funds. Decision-makers and investors can use the maps to target finance and investments in areas where women are most affected by climate change risks.

Challenges and Limitations

The researchers acknowledge limitations, such as the lack of data preventing the calculation of a ‘hotness’ score for some countries, including small island development states.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2023

Category: Agriculture Current Affairs • Economy & Banking Current Affairs • Reports & Indexes Current Affairs