Balancing indigenous knowledge, science, and nonfarm diversification for climate adaptation and food security: A gender-based analysis in rural Cameroon

Abstract

In this study, we use a gender lens to evaluate the effects of different types of climate change adaptation practices on food security in Cameroon. The study is based on a rich farm household data collected from different agroecological zones of Cameron following a multistage sampling procedure. We consider adaptation practices to be (i) indigenous and local knowledge-based, (ii) scientific knowledge-based, and (iii) nonfarm diversification-based. We apply multiple correspondence and hierarchical clustering analyses to identify four distinct types of adaptation practices: Type 1, indigenous and local knowledge-based practices; Type 2, practices based on nonfarm diversification; Type 3, a combination of indigenous, local, and scientific knowledge-based practices; and Type 4, a mix of indigenous, local, scientific knowledge-based and nonfarm diversification-based practices. We find that female and male farmers apply different types of adaptation practices, with female farmers relying mostly on Types 1 and 2. The estimates from the multinomial endogenous switching regression and robustness checks suggest that Type 2 adaptation reduces exposure to severe food insecurity and improves dietary diversity. Types 3 and 4 adaptation improve dietary diversity but increase vulnerability to severe food insecurity. Type 1 adaptation could reduce exposure to severe food insecurity. These results are consistent across genders. Our findings highlight the existence of trade-offs between food security outcomes associated with various adaptation bundles. This challenges the often-implicit assumption that more intensive or integrated adaptation strategies are always welfare-improving. These insights add depth to the adaptation literature and have clear implications for the design of climate adaptation interventions.