AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY

Transcription

1 THE GENDERED IMPLICATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE FOR THE MULTI-PARTY WOMEN S CAUCUS AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY By Dr Agnes Ariho Babugura Monash University South Africa

2 Presentation outline KEY CONCEPTS LINKING CLIMATE CHANGE, GENDER, AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY UNDERSTANDING THE GENDER DIMENSION OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY TAKE HOME MESSAGES

3 Key Concepts

4 Climate change Any change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity.

5 Gender: socially ascribed roles, responsibilities and opportunities associated with women and men, as well as the hidden power structures that govern relationships between them. A term used to emphasize that sex inequality is not caused by the anatomic and physiological differences that characterize men and women, but rather by the unequal and inequitable treatment socially accorded to them.

6 Gender alludes to the cultural, social, economic and political conditions that are the basis of certain standards, values and behavioural patterns related to genders and their relationship

7 Linking climate change, gender, agriculture and food security.

8 Climate change poses a threat to agriculture and food security. Already the food crises has plunged many people deeper into poverty threatening national security and economic growth. Food Security? Food security is a core human right, an essential factor of human development

9 CLIMATE CHANGE Food security exists when all people at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (FAO, 1996). VARIOUS IMPACTS Agriculture and Food security Differentiated impacts and Differentiated impacts and vulnerabilities across: vulnerabilities across: Regions, generations, age, Regions, generations, age, income groups/wealth, gender income groups/wealth, gender Crop production Livestock Availability Access Utilization Stability components of food security: Availability, access, utilization, stability Access to Resources Gender differentiated impacts and Vulnerabilities Access to Resources Natural Human Men Social roles Financial Social Gender Inequalities Manifested in the roles and resources that are determined by legal and cultural norms, state institutions, power and decisionmaking in households and communities Financial Social Women Social roles Natural Human Response Coping Adaptation Build resilience

10 UNDERSTANDING THE GENDERED DIMENSION OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY Agriculture and food security are characterised by gendered dimensions, in that women usually bear the brunt of food insecurity at household level. Generally women are often the ones responsible for feeding their families and a lack of food is therefore their problem to solve. Women are a central factor in food security. Food security cannot be separated from the broader socio-political issues impacting on men and women. For example, access to water, land and other natural resources, health, economic status, all of which have a significant bearing on men and women s vulnerability to food insecurity. A gendered dimension of food security therefore, requires understanding of the multidimensional nature of food security.

11 FOOD PRODUCTION: Women are active food producers. They work on small farms and in urban gardens to produce cash crops. They also work in other aspects of food production such as resource management. FOOD ACCESS: Women ensure that each family member receives an adequate share of food. They are primarily responsible for purchasing food, to which they devote their time and their income FOOD UTILIZATION: Women are responsible for nutrition in the majority of homes. They decide what food to buy and how to prepare it. All of these issues are central to women, yet women's role in agriculture and food security has remained practically invisible to many policy-makers.

12 OBSTACLES WOMEN FACE IN AGRICULTURE (Global View) Access to land Globally women own less than 1% of land Education and training opportunities Women receive 5% of extension service worldwide Access to credit and control of financial resources African women receive less than 10 percent of small farm credit and 1 percent of total credit to the agricultural sector Appropriate technology and tools Access to markets

13 Mainstreaming gender into Agriculture and Food Security

14 LOOKING BACK The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) fails to recognize the gender aspects of climate change and omits the issues of gender equality and women s participation entirely. Also, its Kyoto Protocol, that outlines reductions in greenhouse gases until 2012, fails to integrate a gender perspective in its operationalization and mechanisms, such as the Clean Development Mechanism.

15 Women s caucuses since COP 11 in 2005 have strongly lobbied for a gender approach in all these critical areas. Example the Women for Climate Justice network of women s organizations and individuals the Global Gender and Climate Alliance of UN organizations, IUCN and WEDO

16 Challenges Understanding the relationships between gender, climate change, Agriculture and food security, policy and programming. The operations of the Agricultural development are gender blind.

17 What we already know (General observations) that women are key contributors to agriculture and food security in terms of farming production and productivity, local processing, marketing and appropriate nutrition gender issues are a top priority (latest and most important developments, the Protocol on Gender and Development ) The numerous constraints that women face

18 What remains to be done Gender Analysis to understand the dynamics of gender differences across a variety of issues which are critical for agricultural development and food security. social relations Activities access and control over resources, services, institutions of decision making and networks of power and authority Needs of men and women

19 Closing the Gender gap in Agriculture and Food Security Closing the gap in access to land Closing the gap in rural labour markets Closing the financial services gap Closing the gap in social capital through women s groups Closing the technology gap Cultural Change

20 Women in developing countries produce between 60 and 80 percent of the food. Yet, they continue to be regarded as home producers or assistants on the farm, and not as farmers and economic agents on their own merit. The denied recognition of the vital role women play in agricultural production and food security is attributed to cultural attitudes and harmful traditional practices that relegate women to a subordinate position.

21 DIR F03 21

22 Equal Opportunities DIR F03 22

23 What type of changes are required to mainstream gender within national agriculture and Food security? Political Commitment Technical capacity in gender mainstreaming and social/gender analysis Accountability to gender policies Supportive organizational culture: norms, values and attitudes

24 Where does South Africa currently stand? (based on the HSRC policy brief 2011) Despite the Gender Policy Framework, the gendered dimension of food security has not been given very much attention. Gender is not acknowledged in any of the South African food security policies (The Strategic Plan for South African Agriculture, Integrated Food Security Strategy (IFSS)) Policies to ensure gender mainstreaming in all agriculture and food security interventions are very much needed and critical for ensuring food security. There are gaps in the availability of disaggregated data on women and men in respect of food insecurity and how this impacts on their social roles. There is little empirical and qualitative research which addresses the political, social and gendered factors that affect food security in South Africa. For programmes that are doing well, there is a need for monitoring and evaluation (M&E How food insecurity relates to the complexities of the gender divide, beyond the identification of women and children as a vulnerable group.

25 Take Home Messages Climate Change will impact on agriculture and food security resulting in gender differentiated impacts and vulnerabilities Despite the lack of data, there is increasing realisation of the critical role of women in agriculture and food production and of the fact that the empowerment of women is necessary for bringing about sustainable development, improved agricultural production and food security.

26 Take Home Messages Opportunities to address gender inequalities exist if there is commitment to address the many factors (e.g. access to land and capital, credit, agricultural inputs, education and appropriate technology) constraining women s effective participation in achieving food security. Build men s capacity to allow them to understand that achieving gender equality benefits not only women, but men as well.

27 Take Home Message Where gender inequalities are enshrined in cultural practices and/or national or customary law, there is a need to reflect and redress such practiced It is imperative that a gender analysis be applied to all actions on climate change and that gender experts are consulted in climate change processes at all levels, so that women's and men s specific needs and priorities are identified and addressed.

28 Thank you