Impacts of Climate Change on Rural Women Households and their Adaptation Strategies: Halaba District, Ethiopia

Abstract

Women are most vulnerable to climate change-related hazards based on their dependence on natural resources, daily life roles, and socioeconomic status. This study investigated the impact of climate change on rural women's households and their adaptation strategies. Purposive and systematic random sampling methods were used to select samples from the district, kebeles, and household heads. Four kebeles were selected purposively, and 200 female and male-headed households, 100 of each sex, were selected using systematic random sampling techniques. Primary data were collected through a household survey, focus group discussions, and interviews with key informants. The data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods (descriptive statistics and multinomial logit models). The results of this study show that female-headed households appear to be the most vulnerable segment of the community to the impacts of climate change due to existing gender-biased relations; limited access and less control over key resources, and the unfair distribution of roles, resources, and power. The major adaptation strategies to climate change are crop diversification, income source diversification, soil and water conservation, and irrigation. Generally, female-headed households appear to be more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change than male-headed households. Therefore, this study recommends the need to enhance women-headed households' capacity for effective adaptation by devising genderresponsive interventions. Moreover, it is important to strengthen the quality and delivery of important resources and services with increased efforts to ensure the participation of women to benefit them.