India submitted its communication to the UN climate body in 2023, highlighting that climate change and climatic extremes are significantly magnifying women’s workload and making them more vulnerable, especially in rural areas.
The government informed the Lok Sabha that erratic rainfall and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events are leading to losses in agricultural produce. As a result, women are particularly exposed to harvest losses, which are often their primary or sole source of food and income.
Agriculture, one of the most climate-sensitive sectors, employs about 65 percent of India’s total female workforce, of which women constitute around 30 percent of cultivators and about 43 percent of agricultural labourers in the country.
In the Northeast, paddy production and tea plantations are largely helmed by women-both of which are being widely affected by climate change-leading to economic instability as well as food shortages.
There appear to be no long-term measures focused on climate literacy or adaptability. While the government is aware of the problem, it must urgently pursue long-term, scientific solutions, as climate change is set to dictate productivity and livelihoods.