ABSTRACT
Women’s and men’s differential access to social and physical goods or resources is one of the key dimensions of gender inequality.This paper considers some of the ways in which these inequalities are deepened by the impacts of climate change, and can be seen as a pre-warning that gender inequality if not addressed properly can limit the effectiveness of climate change adaptation strategies or any developmental efforts. Earlier studies related to the impacts of climate change in the commune of
Boudinar showed that this area is prone to several climatic events which have affected the living conditions of the local population. The rural commune of Boudinar and the whole Oriental region, located in north east Morocco, has an arid and semi-arid climate. This commune is located on the coastal zone of the province of Driouech, and rain fed agriculture (‘Bour’) is important in the local economy contributing, in addition to animal breeding, to 75 per cent of the local income (Ez-Zaher 2008). However, water resources there are threatened by overuse, pollution and intrusion of sea water into aquifers. The climatic and hydrological context of the rural commune of Boudinar is
very sensitive, because of the irregularities of rainfall. During the 80s and 90s, the area witnessed periods of successive droughts which aggravated the poverty, as it led to the degradation of land and losses of agricultural production (Faouzi and Khattabi 2009c).Moreover, the analysis of the climate observations recorded in the area of the Eastern Mediterranean coastal region of Morocco (DMN 2007) have shown future projections of evolution of the climate with tendencies towards an increase in the temperatures, a reduction in rainfall, and an increase in the frequency and length of droughts accentuating imbalance between supply and demand of water. As the commune of Boudinar is located in coastal zones, its aquifers are subject
to sea water intrusion. Several problems related directly to water resources are felt in the commune. Among the consequences of the climate change impacts, the water scarcity constitutes an important issue. The water scarcity has significant impacts on agricultural activities and on potable water availability. The local
economy which is primarily based on traditional agriculture and extensive animal breeding is negatively impacted. The lack of sufficient wells and of water storage tanks makes it difficult to fetch
water (Faouzi and Khattabi 2009b). The social layers most affected by the water scarcity, induced by climate change, are women and young girls who are the main group in charge of water collection from distant wells and springs.The vulnerability of the female community members is aggravated by their social situation, limiting their mobility and access to and control of resources (Faouzi and Khattabi 2009b). It is for all these reasons that this research is focused on the commune of
Boudinar, its physical resources and its living conditions in order to raise awareness and search for potential adaptation solutions suitable for both men and women that address water shortages induced by the changing climatic conditions.This chapter deals with some of the gaps in understanding how men and women farmers cope with climate variability. It explores how coping strategies are shaped by gender dimensions of power relations and the decision-making process.
