TY - JOUR

T1 - The diversity of gendered adaptation strategies to climate change of Indian farmers: A feminist intersectional approach

AU - Ravera, Federica

AU - Martín-López, Berta

AU - Pascual, Unai

AU - Drucker, Adam

N1 - Funding Information: We would like to thank Dr. Prem Mathur and the entire staff of Bioversity International, Dr. Sahai and colleagues from Gene Campaign, Dr. Solanki and the staff of Rajendra Agricultural University at Pusa Campus in Bihar, staff at VPKAS, Almora and NBPGR Regional Station in Bowali, Uttarakhand, for their logistical support and assistance during the fieldwork. We would especially like to thank Ms. Puja Bisht, Ms. Kamini Kumari, Ms. Marya Zabeen and Mr. Avinash Kumar for their dedication during survey interviews and focus group discussions. We would also like to thank the farmers from villages in Uttarakhand and Bihar who participated in the research. Funding for this research was provided by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) and, in the case of the lead author, by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portugal). Publisher Copyright: © 2016, The Author(s).

PY - 2016/12/1

Y1 - 2016/12/1

N2 - This paper examines climate change adaptation and gender issues through an application of a feminist intersectional approach. This approach permits the identification of diverse adaptation responses arising from the existence of multiple and fragmented dimensions of identity (including gender) that intersect with power relations to shape situation-specific interactions between farmers and ecosystems. Based on results from contrasting research cases in Bihar and Uttarakhand, India, this paper demonstrates, inter alia, that there are geographically determined gendered preferences and adoption strategies regarding adaptation options and that these are influenced by the socio-ecological context and institutional dynamics. Intersecting identities, such as caste, wealth, age and gender, influence decisions and reveal power dynamics and negotiation within the household and the community, as well as barriers to adaptation among groups. Overall, the findings suggest that a feminist intersectional approach does appear to be useful and worth further exploration in the context of climate change adaptation. In particular, future research could benefit from more emphasis on a nuanced analysis of the intra-gender differences that shape adaptive capacity to climate change.

AB - This paper examines climate change adaptation and gender issues through an application of a feminist intersectional approach. This approach permits the identification of diverse adaptation responses arising from the existence of multiple and fragmented dimensions of identity (including gender) that intersect with power relations to shape situation-specific interactions between farmers and ecosystems. Based on results from contrasting research cases in Bihar and Uttarakhand, India, this paper demonstrates, inter alia, that there are geographically determined gendered preferences and adoption strategies regarding adaptation options and that these are influenced by the socio-ecological context and institutional dynamics. Intersecting identities, such as caste, wealth, age and gender, influence decisions and reveal power dynamics and negotiation within the household and the community, as well as barriers to adaptation among groups. Overall, the findings suggest that a feminist intersectional approach does appear to be useful and worth further exploration in the context of climate change adaptation. In particular, future research could benefit from more emphasis on a nuanced analysis of the intra-gender differences that shape adaptive capacity to climate change.

KW - Sustainability Science

KW - Himalayan region

KW - Indian Gangetic mid-plains region

KW - Intersectionality

KW - climate change

KW - Adaptation strategies

KW - Vulnerability

KW - Livelihoods

KW - Gender and Diversity

KW - Gender research

KW - Intersectionality

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84996587671&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s13280-016-0833-2

DO - 10.1007/s13280-016-0833-2

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 27878532

VL - 45

SP - 335

EP - 351

JO - Ambio

JF - Ambio

SN - 0044-7447

IS - 3, Supplement

ER -