Presentation by Dr. Prakash C. Tiwari at the Closing the gender gap in farming under climate change event on 19 March 2015 in Paris. More about the event: http://ccafs.cgiar.org/closing-gender-gap

1. Women's Adaptive Innovations in Land and
Water Management under Climate Change in
Himalaya: An Illustration of Reducing Gender
Gap in Subsistence Agricultural Economy in
Marginalized Environment
Dr. Prakash C. Tiwari
Professor of Geography
Kumaon University
Nainital – 263002, Uttarkhand, India
Email: pctiwari@yahoo.com
Dr. Bhagwati Joshi
Assistant Professor of Geography
Government Post Graduate College
Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, India
Email: bhawanatiwari@yahoo.com
&

2. Results
 The paper analyzes women’s innovative adaptation
mechanism and its role in reducing gender gap in
Himalaya
 Subsistence mountain farming compels male
population to out-migrate in search of
employment leading to feminization of the
Himalaya farming system
 Local women develop critical knowledge in
agricultural resource management and adaptation
to climate change

3. Results
 Women in 27% villages replenishing water sources
employing traditional water conservation practices
 women in 25% villages developed indigenous
rainwater harvesting system
 19% women changed cropping pattern, 21% women
adjusted crop-rotation
 27% women relocated agriculture
 55% women taking all decisions related with
management of land and water resources
 37% women are now solely responsible for of
utilization, processing and marketing of their
agricultural products

4. Results
Women's innovative adaptation measures
are not only building climate change
resilience in subsistence mountain farming
system, but reducing gender gap by providing
women with the opportunity to come closer
to mainstream of sustainable development
through improved participation and decision-
making

5. Key Messages
 Women's are creating opportunities and enabling
environment for gender mainstreaming
through innovative land and water
management in mountain farming system
 Women’s contribution to climate change
adaptation and sustainable mountain farming
need to be recognized and incorporated in
climate change adaptation strategy for
reducing gender gap
Thank You so much for Your Kind Attention!