Evaluating the regional impacts of climate change on women's well-being, domestic burdens and food security in Bolivia

Luis Enrique Escalante Ochoa (1) , Hélène Maisonnave (1)

1 EDEHN - Equipe d'Economie Le Havre Normandie

Throughout Bolivia, the degree of vulnerability amongst women and men to the impact of climate change is not equal. Indeed, vulnerability can vary due to regional and gender related differences, as well as varying levels of exposition to climatic events. Furthermore, this vulnerability may be exacerbated by increasing food insecurity due to climate change. This study uses a macro-micro model with a gender focus to assess the impact of climate change on food security and women poverty for Bolivia. We analyse a scenario in which specific regional damage occurs in the agricultural and livestock sector, as well as in the non-agricultural ones, due to adverse climatic events. The simulation reveals negative impacts on the Bolivian economy, with the agricultural sector being the most affected. Food availability is reduced, which ultimately leads to greater food insecurity and food poverty with female-headed households suffering the most. The results also reveal negative effects on employment and increased domestic burdens, especially among women, which increases their vulnerability with women in the highlands being the most affected.

Mots clés: Food security; Climate risk; General Equilibrium Model; Gender; Domestic work

Domaines: Économie et finance quantitative [q-fin]

Luis Enrique Escalante Ochoa, Hélène Maisonnave. Evaluating the regional impacts of climate change on women's well-being, domestic burdens and food security in Bolivia. 2021. ⟨hal-03111958⟩