Women Women farmers are hard hit by effects of climate change.
For years, she had relied on traditional farming methods passed down through generations, methods that had sustained her family for decades. However, the intensifying unpredictability of the weather posed an unprecedented challenge.
With each failed harvest, her fears for her family’s future grew, as food became scarcer and income dwindled. “I couldn’t just sit back and watch everything fall apart. My children depended on me, and I had to find a way to secure our livelihood. Determined to fight back, I joined a local women’s group that offered education on climate change and practical training on adaptation strategies,” says Kyalo.
Through the group, she learned techniques like water conservation, soil management, and planting drought-resistant crops innovations that not only revived her farm but also restored her hope. Today, she grows green grams, sorghum, and cowpeas crops better suited to the dry conditions in Kitui County.
Her farm now serves as a model for others in her community. “I didn’t just learn to survive; I learned to thrive even when the rains fail. Before, I used to wait for the rains and hope for the best, but now I understand how to work with what I have using every drop of water wisely, enriching the soil, and choosing the right crops for the season,” she says with a smile.
Stories like Ruth’s highlight the often-overlooked resilience and ingenuity of women in the face of climate challenges. However, at COP29, these voices were finally heard loud and clear. Making countries agree to extend the Enhanced Lima Work Programme on Gender and Climate Change (ELWP)for another decade, signaling a renewed commitment to putting women at the heart of climate solutions.
ELWP was established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to promote gender equality and integrate gender perspectives into global climate action. First adopted at COP20 in Lima, Peru, in 2014, the program recognizes that climate change affects women and men differently due to existing gender inequalities and social roles.
Women, particularly in vulnerable communities, often bear the brunt of climate impacts, making their inclusion in climate solutions critical. The program has already made strides in ensuring that gender perspectives are integrated into climate policies. The decision to extend it until 2034 ensures that this progress continues, embedding gender mainstreaming throughout the UNFCCC.
In addition to the extension, countries agreed to develop a new Gender Action Plan to be adopted at COP30. This plan will provide a roadmap for translating gender commitments into tangible actions, focusing on implementation across sectors such as energy, agriculture, and disaster risk reduction.
The new Gender Action Plan is expected to prioritize capacity building, equitable access to climate finance, and the inclusion of women in decision-making at all levels. It will also focus on empowering grassroots organizations and ensuring that local knowledge, particularly from women, informs climate strategies.
“For women, this means more support for grassroots initiatives, access to climate finance, and inclusion in decision-making processes that affect our lives. We need these decisions to trickle down to the ground. If women are given the tools and opportunities, we can lead change in our communities,” she adds.
But why does gender matter in climate action? Dr. Nicoline de Haan, Director of the CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform says that women are disproportionately affected by climate change but are also powerful agents of change. In many parts of the world, women are primary caregivers and managers of natural resources, making their participation in climate strategies essential.
Yet, they often lack access to resources, training, and decision-making platforms. According to her, the program has been instrumental in changing this narrative by promoting gender-responsive policies and ensuring that women’s voices are included in global climate discussions. The new Gender Action Plan, set to be unveiled at COP30, will take this a step further, focusing on practical solutions such as equitable access to climate funding, capacity building, and leadership training for women at the grassroots level.
“Climate action initiatives will only achieve their potential if women get more decision-making power and access to finance. Women can be powerful agents of climate action if included in decision-making processes and given access to the right resources,” says Nicoline.
According to her, the decision at COP29 is a major step forward and is more than a win as it’s a lifeline for countless women around the world. It shows that the international community recognizes the vital role of women in addressing the climate crisis.
The decision signals a brighter, more inclusive future where women like Ruth will no longer be seen as victims of climate change but as the leaders driving innovative, sustainable solutions for the planet. She reveals that from smallholder farmers to wage laborers, small and medium enterprise owners, and even farmer producer organizations, women’s reliance on agriculture and natural resources to make a living renders them more vulnerable to climate shocks and stressors than men within agriculture.
Apart from that, a recent study shows that for every 1°C increase in long-term average temperatures, women farmers are losing 24 per cent more of their income than men. Furthermore, climate extremes such as floods and heatwaves are costing women-headed households $53 billion more per year than male-headed households.
“The extension of the program highlights the recognition that gender equality is not just a social issue but a critical component of effective climate action. Women, who often bear the brunt of climate impacts, also play a vital role as leaders and innovators in building climate resilience in their communities,” says Nicoline.
She reveals that, across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, women comprise at least 50 per cent of the total workforce in agrifood systems. Yet, within these roles, women face a multitude of issues that hinder their productivity and capabilities for climate adaptation.
These issues include limited access to resources such as land, lack of access to climate information, exclusion from decision-making processes, restricted access to extension services, and even uneven labor demands. Women in agrifood systems also often find it hard to access credit and financial services that shield them from climate change and its impacts on livelihoods.
As a result, women find themselves exposed and vulnerable to disasters that they could have prepared for if more finance and resources were available to them.
“When women are equipped with the tools, knowledge, and resources they need, their productivity and ability to adapt to climate shocks can transform entire communities. This program reaffirms the importance of inclusive climate action and lays the groundwork for sustainable development that leaves no one behind," she adds.