Gendered adaptations to climate change: The case of rice farming communities in the Philippines

7/28/2019 Gendered adaptations to climate change: The case of rice farming communities in the Philippines

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Gendered adaptations to

climate change: The case of

rice farming communities in

the Philippines

Gerlie T. Tatlonghari

Phd Candidate, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Affliate PhD Scholar, IRRI, College, Laguna, Philippines

Pre-submission Seminar/SSD Seminar Series

5 July 2013


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Climate Change is a change of climatewhich is attributed directly or indirectly to

human activity that alters the composition of

the global atmosphere and which is in addition

to natural climate variability over comparabletime periods - The United Nations Framework Convention onClimate Change (UNFCCC)

What is Climate Change?


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Rice farming in the Philippines

Rice is staple food for 90% of the Filipinos

Around 1.5M Filipinos depend on rice industry as means of

livelihoods Ranked 8th in the top rice-consuming countries and in the top

rice-producing countries worldwide in 2012


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Effects of climate variability to rice

production For the past 10 years, an

average of 3% or 0.5 M MT of

rice production was lost due

to damages brought about by

floods and typhoons

82.4% of the rice losses inthe Philippines were

attributed to typhoons, floods

and drought from 1970-1990


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Adaptation to Climate Change

Adaptation is understood as a modification of behaviour that

can either alleviate adverse impacts or open new opportunities

in response to observed or expected changes in climate and

associated extreme weather events (Adger, et al. 2004; Adger,

et al. 2007; Nielsen & Reenberg 2010).

Climate change responses have the potential to challenge

existing gender power imbalances and, by doing so, can

contribute to the realisation of greater gender equality and

womens rights they can play a transformative role. Thereare unique opportunities for the newly emerging climate

change-focused institutions and processes to take a gender-aware approach that contributes to gender and social

transformation. (Skinner, 2011:4)


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Because of gendered norms, ascribed roles,

inequalities in the access to and control of

resources, and their low participation in decision-

making, women are more vulnerable vis--vis tomen before, during and after disaster (Brody et al

2008; Lambrou and Piana 2006; Carvajal, 2008;

Peralta, 2009)

Adaptation strategies are usually based on theirroles and gender norms (Carr, 2008)

Women are expected to be more vulnerable to

climate change



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However, adaptations to climatic events can open

up new opportunities and may alter traditionalgender roles

Gender division of labour temporarily shifted

(Enarson, 2000)

Violated gender based segregation andseclusion ( Sultana, 2010)

Women learned to negotiate for their

entitlements with their partners, relatives and

authorities (Dalisay, 2008)

Women may gain confidence in dealing withtheir socio-cultural inequalities they face daily

(Lambrou and Nelson, 2010)



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How gendered adaptations practices are accepted andreproduced in a given community amidst climate uncertainty?

Sub-questions:

1. Do men and women respond differently to climatic events based

on their gender roles, identity and relations?

2. How do traditional gender practices exacerbated genderinequalities and relate to womens future adaptation?

3. Can natural disasters like flooding provide an opportunity to

empower women by changing gender practices?

4. Can current power relations within the household and community

be changed through adaptation strategies?5. What are the factors that can limit and facilitate womens abilities

to change their situation and position as they respond to climate

change?

Research questions of the study


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Location of the study

Nueva Ecija province: rice granary of the Philippines, 2nd in terms of area susceptible

to flooding

San Antonio municipality: catch basin of water from neighboring municipalities, 10 out

of 16 villages are low-lying and prone to flooding

Papaya and Cama Juan: two most affected villages in San Antonio

Flooding usually occurs during the month of July, September to November


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Conceptual Framework

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the Study


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Methodology

Figure 2. Mixed-method sequential design used to study the rice farming communities in

Nueva Ecija, Philippines


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Climate change has led to changes in frequency, intensity,

duration of severe flooding events

Change

Papaya2test

Cama Juan2test

Male Female Male Female

(n = 100) (n = 100) (n = 101) (n = 101)Climate variability

Temperature 26 20

1.058

21 21

0.773Rainfall 46 51 59 54

Extreme weather

events 28 29 20 25

Flood occurrence

Frequency of

flooding 3 3

1.234

30 29

9.888

**

Intensity of flooding 84 87 32 50

Duration of flooding 12 10 38 20

Other observed

changes 1 1 2** significant difference at 5%

Table 1. Observed changes in climate variability and flood occurrence for the last

20 years in two rice farming villages by gender, San Antonio, Nueva Ecija,

Philippines, 2011

Main Findings of the Study


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We are aware of the climate change. We even felt the wrath of the extremeclimatic variability in our location. Farm woman #15

We dont have any choice but to still go to our farm and work. We are obliged todo so even if we vomit due to extreme heat. If we cant bear the heat, we will justlook for a shade and rest for awhile. Women in Cama Juan focus group #4

Our climate is not the same anymore. Unlike before when you say wet season, it

is only wet season. But now, when it is dry season, its raining and with typhoon. In

old days, we just have two seasons, according to elderly folks, the climate is likean old folks, it has been forgetful[Sabi nga matatanda, ang panahon ngayon ayparang matanda, ulyanin na]. Woman in Papaya focus group #1

Climate Change is a reality on the ground


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ParameterNormal year Flood year t-test (p-value)

Wet season Dry season Wet season Dry season Wet season Dry season

Papaya

Area (ha) 2.13 2.74 2.16 2.72 0.620 0.832

Production (kg) 6,015 13,340 1,376 13,524 0.000 *** 0.612

Yield (t/ha) 2.97 4.80 0.69 5.15 0.000 *** 0.240

Income (Php) a 21,543 63,101 -5,021 63,399 0.000 *** 0.935

Cama Juan

Area (ha) 1.74 2.45 1.85 2.43 0.079 * 0.622

Production (kg) 5,307 13,937 2,492 13,568 0.000 *** 0.472

Yield (t/ha) 2.95 5.77 1.35 5.58 0.000 *** 0.152

Income (Php)a 18,306 81,171 1,637 78,283 0.000 *** 0.508

AllArea (ha) 1.93 2.59 2.00 2.58 0.110 0.678

Production (kg) 5,659 13,640 1,937 13,546 0.000 *** 0.766

Yield (t/ha) 2.96 5.28 1.02 5.36 0.000 *** 0.641

Income (Php)a 19,916 72,181 -1,676 70,878 0.000 *** 0.647

*significant at 10%, **significant at 5%, ***significant at 10%a $1 = P42.93

Flooding has devastating consequences for rice farming

communities

Table 2. Observed changes in climate variability and flood occurrence for the last 20

years in two rice farming villages by gender, San Antonio, Nueva Ecija, Philippines, 2011


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Indicators

Papaya Cama Juan

Male Female Male Female

(n = 100) (n = 100) (n = 101) (n = 101)

Average years in school 7 7 7 8

Average years in farming 24 10 23 11

Land ownership (%) 15 2 22 2

Who decides on:

What varieties to grow (%) 73 2 80 1

Livestock management (%) 42 23 66 54

Who has rural employment

Off-farm labor (%) 45 22 53 28

Non-farm labor (%) 11 6 12 16

Who has access to extension services (%) 24 17 31 31

Who acquired loans (%) 45 34 38 46

Who repaid loans (%) 51 19 48 16

Who received support (e.g. relief goods) (%) 86 88 88 95

Table 3. Access to and control over resources of men and women in two rice farmingvillages in Nueva Ecija, Philippines during flooding period, 2011

Existing gender practices cause the differential

vulnerabilities of men and women to climate change


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Gendered inequalities are exacerbated during climate change

The decrease in the resources and assets of the farming households

led to household members, particularly women to become vulnerable It was observed that more men than women took action during

severe flooding

The loss of livelihood forced men and women to look for alternative

income but women, due to their traditional gender roles, were

expected to stay in the house to look after the elderly and the young

children, thus they became more dependent on their men for survival.

If on lyI would think of myself, I really want to have extraincome. If only I will decide for myself, I really like it [to work]since I am still young and strong. But I have children to look

after. If I can find a job where I can work as a sewer, I knowhow to sew, but my husband doesnt like itbecause my motheris too old already and no one will take care of my kids. Farmwoman #18


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Perceived impacts of severe flooding on men:

Increase pressure to acquire loan (34%)*

Increase pressure to provide food for the family (27%)

Increase pressure to seek other income source (10%)

Perceived impacts of severe flooding on women:

Increase pressure to acquire loans (20%)**

More stressed/anxious (18%)

Increase work load (18%)**

Severe flooding has differential impacts on

male and female farmers

*- Wilcoxon Signed-rank test: significant difference in perception among Cama Juan male and female farmers

**- Wilcoxon Signed-rank test: significant difference in perception among Papaya male and female farmers


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We dont really mind about the weather/climate. Our priority is to survive and

have something to eat. So even the machine/engine is already submerged inflood water, we will still work so to have something to eat. Plus the fact that, wehave obligation to pay our loan on a weekly basis. We really cant just stop anddo nothing. Man in Cama Juan focus group #5

My worst experience was when the money lender took away all the paddy

which I harvested because I couldnt pay my loan. I cried and cried due to lostincome. In this village the interest rate is high. If you borrow 8 cavans [456kilos equivalent to AUD156.00], you need to pay the money lender three times[the borrowed amount]. Farm woman #15

All the families are very sad because we dont have anything to eat. You arefortunate if you have stock food in your house but if you dont have, you are

pitiful. You just have to survive by drinking warm water. Woman in Papayafocus group #1

Severe flooding has differential impacts on

male and female farmers


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Male and female farmers adapt to extreme flooding

based on their roles and relations

Men as provider and farmer adjust their rice farming practices to adapt to

frequent flooding such as:

Build higher dikes around the plotAdjust rice planting: ahead or delay based on the timing of flooding

Resow when seedling are destroyed

Replant when there is still enough seedlings

Delay harvesting if they know that flooding is about to come


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We acquire loans, our husbands just tell us the amount.

There are husbands who are too shy to ask for loan/money.

Women are used to that kind of system, wherein we are theone who ask or borrow money. Woman in Cama Juanfocus group #4

Women were expected to fit their expectations and

activities around men

When my husband is still alive, I used to help him in everyfarm work. It was only operating hand tractor that I did not do.Even I already have rashes all over my body, it was just soitchy butI just endure it since Im a farmers wife. .. As of now,my son and I live together. So now, my son takes the farmingresponsibility and makes decision for that matter ... Its like he

has his own family now. We exchange position I am now thedaughter and he will be the father. Farm woman #25


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Men and women learn to accept and take on new roles in

response to extreme flooding as part of their adaptation to

climate change

From farmers wife to farm manager

Mechanization

External supportMembership in farmers associations

Long-term experience in farming

Education

From budget keepers to entrepreneurs

From supporters to decision-makers

To plant or not to plant during the wet

season

Where and how much to borrow as capitalfor rice farming

What other non-farm income sources they

should engage in

How much rice to store for food

consumption for the whole year.


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What happened was, people listen to you because of yourknowledge, you serve as example to your husband or yourbrother. He [brother] listens, he follows what I said. Farmwoman #11

I applied what I have learned in farmers meetings and

training activities in managing our 11 hectare farm land,which we mortgaged. In just one harvest, I was able torecover our fields we were forced to mortgage. As aconsequence my husband has learned to recognise myskills. He told me Abay [referred to as partner], I entrust toyou our farm land ... andI was able to prove to them

[husbands relatives]that I am a farmer. Farm woman #15

Alteration of gender roles and relations has

significant impacts particularly for women


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Activities

Male Female

Involvement Increase Decrease Involvement Increase Decrease

Reproductive

activities

95 100

Child rearing 74 29 3 84 36 3

Cleaning the house 91 62 2 100 79 4

Washing the clothes 83 39 3 99 64 5

Cooking 91 14 24 100 10 38

Table 4. Changes in mens and womens involvement in reproductive activities

due to severe flood, Nueva Ecija, Philippines, 2011

Men learning to take on traditional womens roles

In term of doing household chores, it is now improving, men are helping

out. Like my husband, early in the morning he would be the one to sweepthe floor. Now, its not based on gender, whats for women or for men, butwho is available. Like my son, my neighbours see him, doing the laundry.Men are also now doing the marketing. Farm woman #15


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Climate change is now a reality on the ground

Extreme weather events have resulted in loss of livelihood and have

escalated debt burdens that have long-term welfare consequences forfarming households

Differences in climate change perceptions, vulnerabilities and

adaptation to climate change of men and women results in differences

in the impacts of climate change

Men and women adapt to flooding according to traditional roles andgender relations

Women realize the need to alter their existing gender roles and

relations

Climate change was the necessary condition but not a sufficient

condition for women to achieve radical changeWomen cannot affect social change on their own just by thinking and

acting differently. There a whole lot of change at state and institutional

levels required

Conclusions


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The first step is to measure whatever can be easilymeasured. This is ok as far as it goes. The second

step is to disregard that which cant be measured. . . .

This is artificial and misleading. The third step is to

presume that what cant be measured easily is not

very important. This is blindness. The fourth step isto say that what cant be easily measured really

doesnt exist. This is suicide.- Adam Smith

(cited in Supermoney 1972: 290)


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Tatlonghari, G. and T. Paris. 2013. Gendered adaptations to

climate change: A case study from the Philippines In Research,Action and Policy: Addressing the Gendered Impacts of Climate

Change", Margaret Alston and Kerri Whittenbury (Editors).

Springer.

Tatlonghari, G. Paris, T. and D. Villanueva. 2012. Genderedvulnerabilities and adaptation to climate change: the experience

of rice farmers of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. Paper presented at

the Crop Science Society of the Philippines Conference, A&A

Hotel, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, 16-21 April, 2012.

Related Articles

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References:Adger, NW, Brooks, N, Betham, G, Agnew, M & Ericksen, S 2004, New indicators of vulnerablity and adaptivecapacityUniversity of East Anglia, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change

Adger, WN, Agrawala, S, Mirza, M, Conde, C, O'Brien, K, Pulhin, J, Pulwarty, R, Smit, B & Takahashi., K 2007,

Assessment of adaptation practices, options contraints and capacity, Cambridge.

Brody, A, Demetriades, J & Esplen, E 2008, Gender and Climate Change: Mapping the Linkages. A Scoping Studyon Knowledge and Gaps, BRIDGE, Brighton.Carr, E 2008, 'Between structure and agency: livelihoods and adaptation in Ghana's Central Region', GlobalEnvironmental Change, vol. 18, pp. 689-99.

Carvajal-Escobar, Y, Quintero-Angel, M & Garcia-Vargas, M 2008, 'Women's role in adapting to climate changeand variability',Advances in Geosciences, vol. 14, pp. 277-80.

Dalisay, S 2008, 'Survival strategies to overcome inaagosto and nordeste in two coastal communities in Batangas

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Enarson, E 2000, Gender and natural disasters, Recovery and Construction Department, International LaborOrganization, Geneva.

IFAD 2009, Rural Poverty in the Philippines, IFAD, viewed July 14, 2010 2010,.

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References:Lambrou, Y & Nelson, S 2010, Farmers in a changing climate does gender matter? , Food and AgricultureOrganization of the United Nations, Rome.

Lambrou, Y & Piana, G 2006, 'Gender: The missing component of the response to climate change', FAO, Rome.

Nielsen, J & Reenberg, A 2010, 'Cultural barriers to climate change adaptation: A case study from Northern

Burkina Faso', Global Environmental Change, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 142-52.

Peralta, A 2009, Financing for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in the Philippines, May 5, 2010,.

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Gendered adaptations to climate change: The case of rice farming communities in the Philippines

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