Gender Dimension Of Adaptation To Climate Change As Linked To Water-energy-food Nexus In Mecha Area Northwest Ethiopia

Ethiopia is suffering from climate extremes in the form of frequent flood and drought. Menrnand women experienced the impact of climate change differently, specifically in poorrncountries like Ethiopia. The link between the adverse effects of climate change and genderrninequality is inextricable. Gender inequality aggravates vulnerability to climate change andrndecreases adaptive capacity because of poor access to vital resources including water,rnenergy and food. This problem calls a need to investigate the gender dimension ofrnvulnerability and adaptation to climate change as linked to water-energy-food nexus. Thernobjectives of the study are to analyze spatiotemporal climate variability to assess genderrndimension of households’ vulnerability and adaptation to climate change and determinantrnfactors to adopt adaptation technologies, and to explore gender dimension of climate changerneffects as linked to water-energy-food nexus in Mecha area, North-western Ethiopia. Using arnhousehold survey, quantitative data were collected from 416 randomly selected respondentsrnand qualitative data were collected via in-depth and key informant interviews and focusrngroup discussions. The research used inverse distance weighted interpolationrntool, multinomial logit model and qualitative system dynamic approach: causal loop diagramrnto analyze the data. The research used statistical techniques such as means, frequencies,rnstandard deviations, principal component analysis, t-test and one way between groupsrnANOVA. Findings reveal that warming trends of annual minimum and maximum temperaturernincreased at a rate of 0.11 0rnC and 0.08 0rnC per decade, respectively. The mean annual andrnseasonal rainfall distribution shows statistically non-significant increasing trends. Thernresults reveal that the vulnerability level of female-headed households is higher than maleheaded households in the irrigation area. The findings further reveal that female-headedrnhousehold’ vulnerability level without irrigation was less than female-headed householdsrnwith irrigation. Vulnerability level of male-headed households in the upper stream was morernthan male-headed households in the lower stream. Findings also showed that male andrnfemale farmers are different in undertaking adaptation options: more male farmers undertakernadaptation options than female farmers. Further, findings reveal household heads’ age,rnfarming experience, land size and access to extension services have a significant effect forrnmale-headed households wherea use of credit services and climate information havernpositively associated with female-headed households’ selection of adaptation options. Thernlast findings show that labour restriction, limited control over land and low income arernmajor drivers that determined female-headed households’ less access to water, energy andrnfood. Climate-induced problems perpetuate female-headed households’ limited access tornproductive resources. The results imply a need to introduce development strategies with arnfocus on female household heads for capacity building in different dimensions. Findings alsornsuggest the need to gender-inclusive climate change policies with a wide range ofrninstitutional and technological support, particularly for the poorer and female householdrnheads

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