CHENNAI, 3 July 2025: In a bid to strengthen climate-resilient rural development, Anna University’s Centre for Climate Change and Disaster Management (CCCDM) has unveiled a toolkit aimed at integrating gender considerations into climate risk planning across agriculture and water sectors.
The Gender-Responsive Adaptation Planning Toolkit, piloted in the Rajapalayam block of Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district, is part of a wider effort to help communities better assess and respond to climate hazards. The pilot involved 36 gram panchayats, with Rajapalayam chosen for its state-backed ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040.
Findings from the study flagged nine panchayats — including Samsigapuram, Thenkarai, and S. Ramalingapuram — as facing very high or high risks linked to climate impacts. Among them, three villages — Cholapuram, Melarajakularaman, and Gopalapuram — were identified as having heightened gender-based vulnerability, exposing women agricultural workers to disproportionate climate pressures.
“Women in these areas, mostly agricultural laborers, lack adequate climate awareness and skills to adapt,” said S. Kanmani, Director of CCCDM and head of Anna University’s civil engineering department. “They also bear the burden of fetching water from distant sources, which worsens under climate stress.”
The project examined a broad set of indicators, including exposure to climate-related disasters, groundwater depletion, and social resilience. Villages such as Muthusamipuram struggled with flooding and human–wildlife conflict, while others like Nallamanickempatti and Cholapuram faced recurring droughts.
Local farmers have reported severe impacts. V. Jayasuriya, who cultivates mangoes in Vadaku Venganallur, described how climate volatility has damaged yields. “Stakeholder meetings explored solutions, from postponing paddy sowing to updating crop calendars and resource maps,” he said.
The initiative, supported by the German development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), was guided by emeritus professor A. Ramachandran of CCCDM. A user manual derived from the toolkit is being proposed as a decision-support framework for policymakers.
Officials said there is now a plan to scale up the toolkit for wider deployment in other regions of Tamil Nadu.
“This effort combines climate risk management with gender sensitivity — a necessary step for building equitable and resilient rural economies,” Kanmani added.
