What we know about gender and rural climate services: Preliminary findings and guidance

This brief summarizes preliminary findings and recommendations from an ongoing review of literature and CCAFS experience on gender-related challenges in empowering smallholder farming communities through climate services

Identifying Pathways for More Gender-Sensitive Communication Channels in Climate Services

Access to accurate and useful climate-related information is a prerequisite for smallholder farmers to use and benefit from climate services with respect to both agricultural and livelihood decision-making. Whether or not farmers access particular climate-related information products is determined by the types of information products that the national meteorological service and other providers make available, by access to the communication channels used to disseminate information, and by demand for the information. Gender-based factors can influence differing access to communication channels for women and men. The present brief highlights some of these key challenges to achieving socially inclusive access to weather and climate information, and presents promising pathways for developing gender-sensitive communication channels in climate services

Strategies for achieving gender-responsive climate services

Rural climate services can provide benefits to both women and men by addressing gender-based challenges that prevent access to and action on weather and climate information. Working with women’s groups and identifying gender-based preferences for use of information and communication technologies (ICT) can be important pathways to enhance women’s access to communication channels. To address gender-based access constraints, it is important that interventions include partners experienced in promoting gender equality in decision-making spaces. It is critical to provide weather and climate information that is relevant to both women and men farmers’ needs. Collaboration with rural development initiatives that promote women’s empowerment can be key to supporting women farmers who may have limited capacity to act on information

Decomposition and nitrogen dynamics of ¹⁵N‑labeled leaf, root, and twig litter in temperate coniferous forests

Litter nutrient dynamics contribute significantly to biogeochemical cycling in forest ecosystems. We examined how site environment and initial substrate quality influence decomposition and nitrogen (N) dynamics of multiple litter types. A 2.5-year decomposition study was installed in the Oregon Coast Range and West Cascades using ¹⁵N-labeled litter from Acer macrophyllum, Picea sitchensis, and Pseudotsuga menziesii. Mass loss for leaf litter was similar between the two sites, while root and twig litter exhibited greater mass loss in the Coast Range. Mass loss was greatest from leaves and roots, and species differences in mass loss were more prominent in the Coast Range. All litter types and species mineralized N early in the decomposition process; only A. macrophyllum leaves exhibited a net N immobilization phase. There were no site differences with respect to litter N dynamics despite differences in site N availability, and litter N mineralization patterns were species-specific. For multiple litter × species combinations, the difference between gross and net N mineralization was significant, and gross mineralization was 7–20% greater than net mineralization. The mineralization results suggest that initial litter chemistry may be an important driver of litter N dynamics. Our study demonstrates that greater amounts of N are cycling through these systems than may be quantified by only measuring net mineralization and challenges current leaf-based biogeochemical theory regarding patterns of N immobilization and mineralization.Keywords: Gross mineralization, Immobilization, Soil, Integrated decomposition rate, Litter chemistryKeywords: Gross mineralization, Immobilization, Soil, Integrated decomposition rate, Litter chemistr

Scaling up climate services for smallholder farmers: Learning from practice

This piece is an introduction to the seven other papers contained within this issue of Climate Risk Management

Decomposition and nitrogen dynamics of 15N‑labeled leaf, root, and twig litter in temperate coniferous forests

Litter nutrient dynamics contribute significantly to biogeochemical cycling in forest ecosystems. We examined how site environment and initial substrate quality influence decomposition and nitrogen (N) dynamics of multiple litter types. A 2.5-year decomposition study was installed in the Oregon Coast Range and West Cascades using 15N-labeled litter from Acer macrophyllum, Picea sitchensis, and Pseudotsuga menziesii. Mass loss for leaf litter was similar between the two sites, while root and twig litter exhibited greater mass loss in the Coast Range. Mass loss was greatest from leaves and roots, and species differences in mass loss were more prominent in the Coast Range. All litter types and species mineralized N early in the decomposition process; only A. macrophyllum leaves exhibited a net N immobilization phase. There were no site differences with respect to litter N dynamics despite differences in site N availability, and litter N mineralization patterns were species-specific. For multiple litter × species combinations, the difference between gross and net N mineralization was significant, and gross mineralization was 7–20 % greater than net mineralization. The mineralization results suggest that initial litter chemistry may be an important driver of litter N dynamics. Our study demonstrates that greater amounts of N are cycling through these systems than may be quantified by only measuring net mineralization and challenges current leaf-based biogeochemical theory regarding patterns of N immobilization and mineralization

Gender-responsive rural climate services: a review of the literature

The review assesses the empirical knowledge base on gender-based differences in access, use and benefits from rural climate services to analyse gender equality challenges and identify pathways for making climate services more responsive to the needs of rural women and men. While existing research is limited, the review identifies key gender-related factors and processes that influence inequalities in access and use. Differential access to group processes and to Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) can significantly limit women’s access to weather and climate information. Moreover, socio-cultural norms that define women’s and men’s labour roles can also influence the resources and decisions under women’s and men’s control, affecting their differing climate information needs and demand. Ways forward suggested by the literature concern inclusion of women’s groups and networks in communication channels and development of ICTs that respond to women’s preferences. Furthermore, meeting women’s climate information needs and pursuing cross-sectoral collaboration will be important to enhance action on climate information. Research opportunities include analyses of the potential for women’s and mixed-gender groups to enhance women’s access to climate information; evaluation of the communication processes that improve women’s understanding of climate information; and further connection with the body of knowledge on intra-household decision-making processes

Gender responsive rural climate services: A review of the literature

Gender considerations can critically influence smallholder farmers’ access and capacity to act on weather and climate information, as well as subsequent livelihood benefits . The present paper reviews the existing knowledge base on gender equality challenges in climate services to assess these gender-based differences and identify promising pathways for making climate services more responsive to the needs of rural women. Findings from the review highlight that existing research is limited; nonetheless, studies indicate that differential access to peer groups and networks and to ICTs can be significant factors limiting women’s access to weather and climate information. Socio-cultural norms that define women’s and men’s labor roles can also influence the resources and decisions under women’s and men’s control, affecting their differing climate information needs and demand, also. Potential ways forward suggested by the literature are: (1) including women’s groups and networks in climate information delivery; (2) developing ICTs that respond to women’s preferences; meeting women’s climate information needs; and pursuing cross-sectoral collaboration. Research opportunities include analysis of the potential for women’s and mixed-gender groups to enhance women’s access to climate information; evaluation of what combinations of communication processes improve women’s understanding of and action on climate information; and further connection with the body of knowledge on intra-household decision-making processes

Advancing the scholarship and practice of stakeholder engagement in working landscapes: a co-produced research agenda

Participatory approaches to science and decision making, including stakeholder engagement, are increasingly common for managing complex socio-ecological challenges in working landscapes. However, critical questions about stakeholder engagement in this space remain. These include normative, political, and ethical questions concerning who participates, who benefits and loses, what good can be accomplished, and for what, whom, and by who. First, opportunities for addressing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion interests through engagement, while implied in key conceptual frameworks, remain underexplored in scholarly work and collaborative practice alike. A second line of inquiry relates to research-practice gaps. While both the practice of doing engagement work and scholarly research on the efficacy of engagement is on the rise, there is little concerted interplay among 'on-the-ground' practitioners and scholarly researchers. This means scientific research often misses or ignores insight grounded in practical and experiential knowledge, while practitioners are disconnected from potentially useful scientific research on stakeholder engagement. A third set of questions concerns gaps in empirical understanding of the efficacy of engagement processes and includes inquiry into how different engagement contexts and process features affect a range of behavioral, cognitive, and decision-making outcomes. Because of these gaps, a cohesive and actionable research agenda for stakeholder engagement research and practice in working landscapes remains elusive. In this review article, we present a co-produced research agenda for stakeholder engagement in working landscapes. The co-production process involved professionally facilitated and iterative dialogue among a diverse and international group of over 160 scholars and practitioners through a yearlong virtual workshop series. The resulting research agenda is organized under six cross-cutting themes: (1) Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; (2) Ethics; (3) Research and Practice; (4) Context; (5) Process; and (6) Outcomes and Measurement. This research agenda identifies critical research needs and opportunities relevant for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers alike. We argue that addressing these research opportunities is necessary to advance knowledge and practice of stakeholder engagement and to support more just and effective engagement processes in working landscapes.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42532-022-00132-8