Access to climate information services and climate-smart agriculture in Kenya: a gender-based analysis

Abstract

Climate change is a significant threat to agriculture-related livelihoods, and its impacts amplify prevailing gender inequalities. Climate information services (CIS) are crucial enablers in adapting to climate change and managing climate-related risks by smallholder farmers. Even though various gender groups have distinct preferences, understandings, and uses of CIS, which affect adaptation decisions differently, there is little research on gender perspectives of CIS. This study employs a novel intra-household survey of 156 married couples to evaluate the gender-differentiated effects of CIS access on the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies in Kenya. The findings reveal gender differences in access to CIS, with husbands having significantly more access to early warning systems and advisory services on adaptation. In contrast, wives had better access to weather forecasts. About 38% of wives perceived that CIS meets their needs, compared to 30% of husbands. As for CIS dissemination pathways, husbands preferred extension officers, print media, television, and local leaders, whereas wives preferred radio and social groups. Recursive bivariate probit analysis shows that trust in CIS, a bundle of CIS dissemination pathways, access to credit, and membership in a mixed-gender social group, affected access to CIS for both genders. Access to early warning systems and advisory services positively affected decisions to adopt CSA by both genders. Still, access to seasonal forecasts influenced husbands’ decisions to adopt CSA but not wives. Besides, there were gender differences in how CIS affected each CSA technology based on gendered access to resources and roles and responsibilities in a household. It is necessary to disseminate CIS through gender-sensitive channels that can satisfy the needs and preferences of different gender groups to encourage the adoption of climate-smart technologies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10584-022-03445-5.

Is the internet helping farmers build climate resilience? Evidence from rice production in the Jianghan Plain, China

“…Earlier studies have predominantly examined how farmers' climate change adaptation is influenced by their access to climate information such as disaster and extreme weather forecasting (e.g. Ngigi and Muange, 2022). This paper offers a broader perspective on the potential of ICT in managing climate risks.…”

Climate change impacts, adaptation options and opportunities for investment in agro-pastoral value chains in arid and semi-arid regions of Kenya

“…Timely and efficient service delivery is therefore a crucial enabler for the growth of the value chain in rangelands. Climate information services (Ngigi & Muange, 2022), financial services (Njiru et al, 2021), and market information (Lutta et al, 2021) are some of the most crucial services that support the creation of sustainable value chains in rangelands. All decision-makers, from agro-pastoralists to banks and government agricultural investment programs, depend on climate information services.…”

Brain Re-Engineering Concept and Reimagination: Strategy for Rebranding Agriculture and Youth Engagement in Promoting Food Production

“…The concept of BRECR focuses on addressing the perception problem and offers a viable strategy to revive struggling economies through the agricultural or agribusiness sector. This is particularly important in the current age of heightened environmental concerns and climate change issues, where sustainable farming is a crucial topic (Ngigi & Muange, 2022). As the global population continues to grow, the scarcity of land and water poses a significant threat to human existence (Apeh et al, 2023).…”