Women, Water and Food Security: Understating Governance, Climate-Smart Farming and Sustainable Agriculture

Abstract

Women’s role is significant in water governance and food security, however, their critical contribution is generally ignored or undermined in the public and policy discourse related to Pakistan’s agriculture and water management system. Men take the central position and present themselves as the only entity dealing with the natural resources including water and food. This article challenges this narrative and examines the women’s contribution, role and their interconnection between gender, food security, farming and water. The ethnographic study is conducted in Hyderabad division directly interactive women and men in various small villages, towns and districts. The objective of this research was to understand the Sindh’s governance structure, climate smart farming, water management and agriculture sector. The study used mix methods approach – qualitative and quantitative – through the household surveys, focus group discussions (FGD), key informant interviews and informal detailed unstructured discussions with the women and men in order to understand how women access the water, use it, participate in the agriculture related decision making and how they adopt with the changing environment by using the climate smart farming practices. The article explored that water scarcity is a critical issue impacting the overall agriculture of Sindh province including the Hyderabad division. There is gender blind response from the government when it comes to taking women in the national and provincial policy and implementation. The gender-blind approach has caused a constraint for women’s capacity to play their role fully in the agriculture. The article argues that strengthening gender-responsive governance and promoting inclusive climate-smart agriculture are essential for building resilient food systems in Hyderabad Division. Integrating women’s knowledge and leadership into water and agricultural policies is not only vital for environmental sustainability but also for achieving long-term food security and rural development.