Land degradation, the decline in land productivity, has a strong gender component because in many parts of the world, how land is used is closely tied to how it is owned and managed. Ownership and management are also tied to the cultural roles that are assigned to women and men. Stated differently, men and women degrade the land for different reasons. With climate change, land productivity is expected to decline rapidly in some areas and emerge in new areas, making it increasingly difficult for land-dependent households to sufficiently maintain their livelihoods without supplementary incomes. As a result, new coping mechanisms are emerging. At the same time, urbanization, the ever-growing demands for food, water and energy, as well as the unique assets that women’s groups possess, could influence these changes. All these factors need to be taken into account in order to achieve a land-degradation neutrality that is gender responsive by 2030. A working paper on gender that explores these issues is envisioned.
