Online Program

336701
Integrating gender into climate information services: A mechanism for improving food security


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 4:30 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.

Sarah McKune, MPH PhD, Deparment of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Sandra Russo, PhD, International Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Farmers globally are being affected by the negative consequences of climate change. Climate information services have been identified as a important mechanism for mitigating the potential negative outcomes of climate change on both crop production and livestock based livelihood systems. The CGIAR research program on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) has demonstrated through its work in Kaffrine, Senegal that gender must be taken into consideration when cilmate information services are developed and implemented. Men and women seek different types of information, use different communication mechanisms, and trust and have access to different points of information distribution. Climate information services are being utilized to encourage the adoption of climate smart agriculture practices, which aim to improve food security in climate vulnerable areas, such as Kaffrine. This research investigates the impact of appropriately gendered climate information services on household level food security, with the hypothesis that effectively delivered climate information services will improve uptake of climate smart agricultural practices, thereby improving food security.

Learning Areas:

Environmental health sciences
Other professions or practice related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Demonstrate the essential role that gender analysis plays in the development of effective climate information services. Assess whether appropriately gendered climate information services effect the adoption of climate smart agricultural practices and, consequently, household level food security.

Keyword(s): Gender, Food Security

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: At the University of Florida, I worked as a postdoc for a year and half and continued to work for another 1.5 years as key faculty on a grant from CIAT to integrate gender into CCAFS related work throughout Sub Saharan African and South Asia.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4412.0: Climate Change II