Rural women coping mechanisms to climate change in maracha district: case study Kijomoro sub-county

Abstract

This study is an ―Assessment of the Rural Women Coping Mechanisms to Climate Change in Maracha District. A Case Study of rural women farmers in Kijomoro Sub-county. Climate change causes serious challenges to sustainable livelihood and development, mostly in the rural communities in Africa thus impacting negatively on their production capacities. Agriculture in the rural areas in Maracha District is carried out by mostly women, and Agriculture is negatively impacted by climate change due to very low coping mechanisms. There is need to build the capacities of these rural women farmers on climate change and train them on possible coping mechanisms so as to produce sustainably. This study answers the research questions of: What are the main causes of climate change in Kijomoro sub-county? What strategies are being put in place by the women to curb the climatic hazards? How can the rural women farmers cope with the impacts of climate change to ensure sustainable production? This study used Focus group discussions, interview and key informant interview guides to gather data from the rural women farmers, agricultural officers and experts in the District. The results show that climate change is a real stress factor in the rural communities of Maracha District, due to weak coping mechanisms used by these women, thus affecting food productivity negatively, hence the need to cope with climate change effects. The question is therefore, how can rural women farmers cope with the impacts of climate change to ensure sustainable production? Although there are some few coping mechanisms put in place by these rural farmers, their capacities need to be strengthened to cope better. The study was guided by three objectives; to determine the forms of climate hazards experienced in Kijomoro Sub-county, to assess the factors that contribute to climate change and evaluate the strategies used by rural women farmers to curb the effects of climate hazards experienced.