Aayushi Malhotra (CASAS’ member) has published this report in the series CGIAR Gender Equality and Inclusion with Gerald Katothya, Ranjitha Puskur and Niyati Singaraju.
Abstract: The CGIAR Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) Accelerator enables transformative research on gender in agriculture and food systems, promoting equitable, sustainable, productive and climate-resilient outcomes. The Accelerator prioritizes the generation of high-quality evidence, development of innovative methods and tools, and creation of strategic alliances that drive systemic change toward inclusive food systems within planetary boundaries. Within the Accelerator, the Sub-Area of Work (AoW) on “Evidence to Policy”, led by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), focuses on leveraging evidence, strategic communication and engagement to inform policy and practice. It synthesizes and disseminates robust evidence, identifies gaps and addresses emerging questions related to gender in agriculture and food systems. In this context, two complementary studies and a multi-stakeholder workshop were conducted in 2024 to strengthen the evidence base on the gender responsiveness of climate information services (CIS) in agrifood systems and to distil lessons from relevant experiences across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Reliable and timely access to climate information can significantly enhance adaptation and mitigation efforts in response to climate change (Coulibaly et al. 2015; UNDP 2019; Warner et al. 2022). However, many farmers—especially women and those from socially or economically marginalized groups—face structural barriers that limit their ability to access, interpret, and act on CIS (McOmber et al. 2013). Gender-specific differences in access, needs, preferences, and use of CIS are frequently overlooked in service design and delivery (Ngigi & Muange 2022; Bryan et al. 2024). Women often require distinct communication channels, trusted social networks, and tailored capacity support to fully benefit from CIS (Raj et al. 2020). Failing to consider these gendered dimensions can exacerbate inequalities and increase women’s vulnerability to climate risks within agrifood systems. This report consolidates findings from the three-part study that builds sequentially across complementary evidence streams:
*Landscape mapping: This component maps the CIS provision landscape in agrifood systems across LMICs. It examines the state of climate data infrastructure; the types and content of agrometeorological information and advisories (e.g., meteorological variables, forecast horizons, sectoral focus); the communication channels and formats used; and the institutional actors involved in CIS production and dissemination.
*Scoping review: The second component synthesizes existing evidence on gendered access to and usability of CIS, with a focus on the barriers faced by women farmers and the design and delivery features that make CIS more gender-responsive.
*Stakeholder consultation workshop: The third component engaged researchers, practitioners and service providers in reflecting on the study findings and identifying strategies for closing evidence and implementation gaps. Together, these components aim to inform the design of gender-responsive CIS that can better reach, serv, and benefit women farmers through tailored information, participatory design and complementary support.
Read their report here: https://hdl.handle.net/10568/181376
Follow us on our social media
CASAS
The Collective of Agrarian Scholar-Activists from the Global South (CASAS) is a community of Scholar-Activists working in critical agrarian studies.