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Widows: agents of change in a climate of water uncertainty

Gabrielsson, Sara LU and Ramasar, Vasna LU (2013) In Journal of Cleaner Production 60. p.34-42
Abstract
The African continent has been severely affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic and as a consequence, development is being obstructed. Agriculture and food production systems are changing as a result of the burden of the pandemic. Many farming families are experiencing trauma from morbidity and mortality as well as facing labour losses and exhaustion. To further exacerbate the situation, climate variability and change reduce the available water supply for domestic and productive uses. This article describes how these multiple stressors play out in Nyanza province in Western Kenya and explores livelihood responses to water stress in Onjiko location, Nyanza. In this community, widows and divorced women affected by HIV and AIDS have become... (More)
The African continent has been severely affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic and as a consequence, development is being obstructed. Agriculture and food production systems are changing as a result of the burden of the pandemic. Many farming families are experiencing trauma from morbidity and mortality as well as facing labour losses and exhaustion. To further exacerbate the situation, climate variability and change reduce the available water supply for domestic and productive uses. This article describes how these multiple stressors play out in Nyanza province in Western Kenya and explores livelihood responses to water stress in Onjiko location, Nyanza. In this community, widows and divorced women affected by HIV and AIDS have become agents of positive change. Data from local surveys (2007), mapping of seasonal calendars (September 2009) and numerous focus group meetings and interviews with women in Onjiko (October 2008, January 2010, January 2011), reveal that despite a negative fall-back position, widows are improving their households' water and food security. This adaptation and even mitigation to some of the experienced climate impacts are emerging from their new activities in a setting of changing conditions. In the capacity of main livelihood providers, widows are gaining increased decision making and bargaining power. As such they can invest in sustainable innovations like rain water harvesting systems and agroforestry. Throughout, they worlc together in formalized groups of collective action that capitalize on the pooling of natural and human resources as well as planned financial management during hardship periods. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Agency, Climate variability and change, Collective action, Water stress, Widows, Kenya
in
Journal of Cleaner Production
volume
60
pages
34 - 42
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000326951200005
  • scopus:84885420975
ISSN
0959-6526
DOI
10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.01.034
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
170b41ba-1bff-49a5-a21d-75d7edad9e41 (old id 4196598)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:48:50
date last changed
2022-03-21 20:37:01
@article{170b41ba-1bff-49a5-a21d-75d7edad9e41,
  abstract     = {{The African continent has been severely affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic and as a consequence, development is being obstructed. Agriculture and food production systems are changing as a result of the burden of the pandemic. Many farming families are experiencing trauma from morbidity and mortality as well as facing labour losses and exhaustion. To further exacerbate the situation, climate variability and change reduce the available water supply for domestic and productive uses. This article describes how these multiple stressors play out in Nyanza province in Western Kenya and explores livelihood responses to water stress in Onjiko location, Nyanza. In this community, widows and divorced women affected by HIV and AIDS have become agents of positive change. Data from local surveys (2007), mapping of seasonal calendars (September 2009) and numerous focus group meetings and interviews with women in Onjiko (October 2008, January 2010, January 2011), reveal that despite a negative fall-back position, widows are improving their households' water and food security. This adaptation and even mitigation to some of the experienced climate impacts are emerging from their new activities in a setting of changing conditions. In the capacity of main livelihood providers, widows are gaining increased decision making and bargaining power. As such they can invest in sustainable innovations like rain water harvesting systems and agroforestry. Throughout, they worlc together in formalized groups of collective action that capitalize on the pooling of natural and human resources as well as planned financial management during hardship periods. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Gabrielsson, Sara and Ramasar, Vasna}},
  issn         = {{0959-6526}},
  keywords     = {{Agency; Climate variability and change; Collective action; Water stress; Widows; Kenya}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{34--42}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Cleaner Production}},
  title        = {{Widows: agents of change in a climate of water uncertainty}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.01.034}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.01.034}},
  volume       = {{60}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}