Evidence of agriculture being highly gendered in Nigeria. shows vulnerabilities to environmental variability that persists in agricultural productivity in Nigeria. These reflect persistent inequality and negative outcomes for girls and women. Closing gender equality gaps has been seen to contribute to women’s empowerment, with access and ability to make strategic life choices, particularly in situations where this ability had been denied to them in terms of agricultural productivity and climate vulnerability. This paper established a nexus between gender dimensions of agriculture, environment and climate change and specifically examine their intersection through gender inequality in Nigeria. Also, it points at the understanding of how gender mediates opportunities to increase agricultural productivity and livelihoods for women and their households and their adaptability to environmental vulnerabilities. The paper adopted the theoretical framework of Intersectionality and Gender Relations Framework. It relied on qualitative desk review as secondary data were synthesized and content analyzed. Findings revealed that effects of climate change on human society and our ability to mitigate and adapt to them are mediated by social factors inclusive of gender. Disparities in the effect of climate change on women and men exist because of the social position of women in the family and the community and because climate change impacts the factors most essential to women’s means of subsistence which are food, water and energy supply. The paper concluded that as gender inequality hinders a woman’s chances and access to decision making in agricultural productivity, inequities in access to and control of land assets likewise have severe consequences for women’s climate change adaptability in providing food, care, health, and sanitation services to themselves, their husbands, and their children. The paper recommended full and equal participation of women (and men) in decision-making, planning and implementation of gender-responsive climate change action in agricultural productivity.
Keywords: Agriculture, Climate Change, Environment, Gender Dimensions, Gender, Inequlity, Intersectionality, SDG-5.
Written by:
Ndukwu, George Odochi, Ph.D
Institute of Development Synergy, Abuja
Email address: developmentcommunicationnig@gmail.com
Tel: 08060219952
Inyang, Mayen-Julia Paul, Ph.D
Federal College of Agriculture, Isiagu Ebonyi State
Email Address: mudotai@yahoo.com
Tel: 07032122786\
Chiekezie, Patricia Nwamaka, Ph.D
Federal College Of Agriculture, Isiagu Ebonyi State
Email Address: chiekeziepatricia1@gmail.com
Tel: 07030610050
Corresponding author: mudotai@yahoo.com