Climate Information And Kenya’s Women Smallholder Farmers
Considering that four out of five women MSMEs report agriculture as their primary economic activity in East Africa, the consequential effects of increasing climate volatility is likely to have a disproportionate impact on women. One proposed solution strategy to mitigate the impact of climate change volatility is to improve the planning and decision-making process of farmers by supplying ICT-enabled weather and climate information resources.
This report assesses the climate-related information needs of Kenya’s women smallholder farmers with the objective to inform meaningfully relevant and accessible information solutions in the region.
REPORT FINDINGS
The findings of this assessment indicate a significant demand among respondents for information and guidance on various climate-related themes essential for both long-term planning and immediate farming decisions. Smallholder farmers emphasized the profound impact of climate and weather information on their decision-making processes in farm planning and execution. However, the study identified a disparity between the climate adaptation information and services available and what smallholder women farmers currently access. A notable portion of respondents highlighted the lack of crucial information on farming techniques, technologies, and weather and early warning systems among smallholder women farmers.
This underscores the need for solution designers to address these specific information gaps to enhance the resilience of smallholder women farmers to climate change and improve overall agricultural productivity.
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
- Increasing Smallholder Farmers’ Capacity and Awareness of Climate Information
- Enhancing the Relevance and Quality of Climate Information
- Simplifying and Tailoring Climate Information to Women Farmer’s Needs
- Increasing Smallholder Women Farmers’ Access to Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services
- Complementing Traditional Weather and Climate Information Channels with ICT-based Digital Information
This study serves as a crucial foundation for the development of tailored agricultural programs, ensuring the provision of key decision-making information and advisory services that align with the livelihood activities of women smallholder farmers. The five recommendations presented in this report provide actionable guidance for solution designers to strategically enhance the delivery of climate information services, ultimately aiming to bolster the resilience of smallholder women farmers to climate change and improve overall agricultural productivity in Kenya.