Climate Change Adaptation Strategies and Sustainable Livelihoods of Smallholder Women Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review

In sub-Saharan Africa, the sustainability of smallholder farming systems is threatened by climate change. Women farmers are often disproportionately affected. These disproportionate impacts are linked to gender-based inequities like limited decision-making power and resource constraints, which limit women’s adaptive capacity. Previous research has examined inequities in agriculture generally, as well as women farmers’ adaptation to climate change. However, relatively few studies have explicitly focused on the experiences of women who are the primary farmers. Intersectional research is also limited. This paper presents the results of a scoping review to identify how climate change affects women smallholder farmers and how they adapt. The review identified 41 studies between 2014 and 2024. The most frequently identified vulnerability factors were access to credit, social and cultural norms, and land issues (e.g., tenure issues). Few studies took an explicitly intersectional approach. The findings suggest the need for support that targets the challenges faced by women smallholders. More intersectional research is needed to examine how gendered impacts are shaped by other forms of inequality and inhibit sustainable livelihood options. The review revealed a pervasive patriarchal assumption in which dual-headed households are often described as “male-headed”. Revising such discourses can support women’s adaptive agency in the face of future climate challenges. These findings have direct implications for the sustainability of smallholder farming systems and rural livelihoods in the region, emphasizing the need for gender-responsive approaches to sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa.