Vulnerability to climate change and variability: A gender analysis of forest basedcommunities in South-West of Nigeria

Climate change and climate variability is a global phenomenon that has caused serious concern to many sectors of the economy and people’s livelihoods in Africa. In this regard, community based dwellers most especially farmers and forest resources dependent people in Southwest Nigeria are particularly vulnerable to changes in the climate that affect the availability of forest resources, farm productivity and their weather-dependent livelihood systems. The purpose of this study was to analyze and provide empirical information on gender-based vulnerability in term of climate variability on source of livelihood, dependence on forest resources, climate change perception and involvement in decision making about forest management and climate change among forest based communities in Southwest Nigeria. The study was conducted in selected five States of Southwest Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select States. Two forest based communities were selected again purposively from each State making total combination of 10 communities in all States based on accessibility, free access to the forest reserve, dependency on forest resources for livelihood and rain-fed agriculture practices. The formula by Cochran (1977) was used to estimate the sample size. Data collection for the study was carried out in two phases. Firstly, detailed survey using a structured questionnaire administered to 306 respondents randomly in sampled communities across the selected States followed by the second phase which was a Focus Group Discussion and in-depth interview with the respondents. The males and females were distributed equally. Using 3-scale rating approach, high, medium and low scale on the effect of climate variability on livelihood sources, female were more involved in decision and participation in sustainable forest management, community social networks (51%) cmpared to males (49%), while males were more in representation, in community committee and in government representation (65%) in comparison to female (35%). The results of the study confirmed disparity in gender vulnerability to climate change in terms of resources dependency, source of livelihoods, and decision making between male and female in their respective communities. Based on these findings, the study recommended that for adaptation and mitigation to the impact of climate change to be successful and effective in forest dwelling communities, gender mainstreaming policy needed to be formulated and promoted as matter of urgency. Therefore, gender sensitive approach with full participation of men, women, youth and elderly ones both within the household and community level need to be promoted.