'Getting gender right' is essential for the sustainability of food systems

The growing emphasis on sustainability of food systems (rather than of agriculture alone) highlights the importance of considering gender at all stages, from production to consumption, to address development goals of zero hunger, sustainable agriculture, and climate action (as well as gender equality as a goal in itself). IFPRI’s Gender, Climate Change and Nutrition Integration Initiative (GCAN) addresses the interlinkages between gender, climate change, and nutrition for sustainable food systems. The conceptual framework for the project illustrates that men and women may be exposed to different climate risks and experiences and have different capacities and preferences for how they respond to climate shocks and stressors.

Women tend to be more constrained in responding to climate shocks and long-term changes. Research shows that women tend to have less access to information on climate change and appropriate response options—contributing to women farmers’ lower adoption rates of improved practices and technologies. Women also possess fewer important productive assets such as land or machinery—and fewer assets overall—also limiting their ability to respond to climate change.

Photo credit: M. Yousuf Tushar/WorldFish