Women Entrepreneurs in Africa Face More Climate Risks Than Their Male Peers

Jul 28, 2022 | Kate Gannon
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The world’s climate is changing. All of us will ultimately be affected by climatic shifts – but some will be hit harder than others.

On the African continent, for instance, small businesses are on the front lines of climate change. Over 50% of the African labour force works in agriculture, which is both very exposed to and dependent on climatic variability and change. But even businesses in urban centres are increasingly dealing with climate-induced challenges. These include unstable water and power supplies, extreme heat and flooding. These hazards interrupt processing and manufacturing activities. They also limit transportation of goods and make it harder to provide services to customers. And they increase the risk of unsafe working conditions.

This is true for any business owner, regardless of gender. But our research, published in WIRES Climate Change, suggests that women entrepreneurs in Africa are more vulnerable to climate change than their male counterparts. There are at least three key reasons for this.