The changing climate is a global issue that affects us all. However, the impact of climatic shifts is not equal, with some people and communities being hit harder than others. In Africa, small businesses, which form the backbone of the economy, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Women entrepreneurs in Africa, in particular, are at an increased risk of climate change impacts, which could have significant long-term effects on their businesses and households. This article examines the reasons why women entrepreneurs in Africa are more vulnerable to climate change than their male counterparts and offers possible solutions to address this issue.

Reasons for Increased Vulnerability

Women entrepreneurs in Africa are more exposed to climate risks due to the sectors, activities, and types of businesses that they tend to be concentrated in. These sectors, such as agriculture, livestock, fishing, trading, and processing, are sensitive to climatic variability and change. Additionally, women and their businesses are often confined to more marginal and degraded agricultural land, which is less resilient to climate shocks. As a result, climate shocks are likely to have a more severe impact on women entrepreneurs than their male peers.

Women’s businesses also face additional barriers to adapting to climate change in the business environment. They have limited access to finance, markets, technologies, information, and policies due to cultural norms and gendered discrimination in entrepreneurship. This lack of resources, knowledge, and skills makes it challenging for women entrepreneurs to adapt to the effects of climate change. These barriers to adaptation reinforce each other and compound women’s vulnerability to climate change.

Women entrepreneurs in Africa are also often on the front line of managing climate risk at household levels. As the producers and procurers of food, water, and other natural resources for their families, women are responsible for household management and food security. Therefore, they tend to be the first to feel the impact of climate change on their households and businesses.

Possible Solutions

To avoid climate change entrenching and increasing existing gender inequalities in entrepreneurship and beyond, action is needed to address gender inequalities across the business environment. Women’s specific and diverse needs must be considered in the design of policies, programs, products, and services. Women must be represented in adaptation and business decision-making forums to ensure their voices are heard.

Business finance opportunities must also include women’s businesses, including informal enterprises, individual producers, women’s collectives, and producer cooperatives, as well as those with restricted access to formal land ownership. Private sector mobilization in adaptation action must be supported to develop equitable business linkages and partnerships with a wider range of businesses, including those that do not have formal land entitlements.

If adaptation action is to level the playing field for women and their businesses, women must be at the heart of the design of adaptation and entrepreneurship planning.

Conclusion

Women entrepreneurs in Africa are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than their male peers. Cultural norms and gendered discrimination in entrepreneurship limit their access to resources, knowledge, and skills, which are essential for adaptation to climate change. Women’s businesses face additional barriers to adapting to climate change in the business environment. To address this issue, there must be action to address gender inequalities across the business environment and ensure that women are at the heart of the design of adaptation and entrepreneurship planning.