The Gendered Dimensions of Climate Change Adaptation Among Small-Scale Farmers in Negros Occidental, Philippines

Climate change is intensifying natural disasters and putting increasing pressure on agricultural systems, with serious implications for agricultural livelihoods and food security. These challenges disproportionately affect women in rural areas globally, who often have less access to finance, resources, and extension services that support climate adaptation. The Philippines is on the front lines of climate change, facing increasing severe and frequent heatwaves, drought, flooding, and cyclones. Despite its vulnerability to climate risks, the Philippines is underrepresented in research on the gender-climate connection in agriculture compared to countries in other regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study addresses this research gap by examining how men and women perceive the impacts of climate change on agriculture and the adaptation strategies they adopt. The study involves 10 interviews with lead farmers, 4 focus groups, and 264 surveys, with an approximate balance of male and female farmers. The findings showed that overall, male and female perspectives, preferences, and behaviors towards climate change and adaptation were largely similar, with some exceptions. Women farmers were more likely to view climate change as impacting their production and were more likely to be interested in crop insurance. Male farmers were more likely to employ agronomic adaptation behaviors, with women more likely to have changed gendered roles in response to climate change. These findings have implications for scaling climate-smart innovations and the status of rural transformation amidst economic and climactic shifts.