Gender, water, and climate change in Sonora, Mexico: implications for policies and programmes on agricultural income-generation

Abstract

This article focuses on the sustainability of gendered agricultural income-generating activities in Sonora, near the Mexico–USA border, in the context of climate change. Farming, and fruit and vegetable home-processing enterprises, still predominate in the area. However, several types of fruits can no longer be produced in this area due to warmer temperatures. Climate change has implications for the sustainability of these activities, which will affect women and men differently, affecting control over their livelihoods and food security. The article makes recommendations for development policies and programmes, for these and similar agricultural communities worldwide.

Keywords:

• gender
• climate change
• water
• agriculture
• Sonora
• Mexico

Notes

1. I gratefully acknowledge the funding obtained for this study, that is part of an ongoing research project near the Mexico–USA border, from the Resource Center on Agriculture and Food Security (RUAF) Foundation in the Netherlands (November 2007–May 2008), the Magellan Circle Award from the University of Arizona (January 2008–May 2008), and a Fulbright Scholar Border award (August 2008–April 2009).

2. Buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) is ‘a shrubby grass to 1.5 feet tall and 3 feet wide.’ It ‘grows densely and crowds out native plants of similar size’ (www.desertmuseum.org/invaders/invaders_buffelgrass.htm, last accessed November 2008)

3. All names of interviewees are pseudonyms, to protect their identity.