February 9, 2023 | Yaoundé, Cameroon
Local PEP researchers in Cameroon organized a national policy conference to present their insights regarding the gender-differentiated effects of climate change mitigation policies.
February 9, 2023 – A team of local PEP researchers held a national policy conference to present their findings and recommendations on the impact of climate change mitigation strategies on food security in Cameroon, looking specifically at how these policies impact women and men differently.
Cameroon's food security is threatened by the escalating climate crisis, making climate change mitigation an urgent concern. To share insights drawn from their study investigating the gendered impacts of climate change adaptation policies on food security in Cameroon, the PEP research team brought together over 30 policy stakeholders, advisors, academics, and representatives of civil society and the private sector.
Many key policy stakeholders attended the event, including representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Land Planning, the Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Public Health of Cameroon, the National Observatory on Climate Change, the National Institute of Statistics and a representative of the European Union Delegation.
Celestin SIKUBE TAKAMGNO, the lead researcher for the project, presented the team's findings and recommendations. He highlighted the severe impacts of climate change on the country's agricultural sector, stressing the disproportionate effects on women, as women—who contribute to more than 80% of food production and constitute more than 60% of the workforce in the agricultural sector—face significant inequalities such as higher rates of poverty and underemployment.
Strategies to enhance farmers' access to fertilizers showed promise in increasing agricultural yield and boosting household consumption, he explained, especially for female farmers. He then shared that this strategy was critical given the vulnerability of women in this sector and their pivotal role in maintaining food security.
The audience showed their appreciation for the team's methodology and findings and emphasised the importance of improving access to agricultural resources for women, citing land as another critical tool to ensure women farmers are more resilient to climate change. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was particularly interested in the research team's findings on climate-resilient products and expressed an interest in using the team's results to inform the new rural sector development strategy.
Two journalists attended the event, including one from CRTV, underlining the public interest in the team's results and recommendations.
The research team organized the event with financial and advisory support from PEP and Global Affairs Canada.
