India faces acute vulnerability to climate-induced droughts, with regions like Marathwada in Maharashtra experiencing persistent and severe drought impacts. Despite advances in drought Early Warning Systems (EWS), these systems often fail to reach or serve the most affected populations—particularly women farmers—due to their heavy reliance on technology and lack of gender-responsive design.

This policy brief highlights findings from a mixed-methods study conducted in Dharashiv district, one of the most drought-prone areas in India. The study employed literature reviews, media analysis, and direct engagement with women farmers through focus group discussions (FGDs) and listening exercises. The goal was to examine existing EWS mechanisms, assess their gender responsiveness, and recommend actionable pathways to build a more inclusive and effective drought early warning system.

Key Findings:

• Disproportionate Impact on Women: Women bear the brunt of drought-related hardships—ranging from food and water insecurity to mental health issues and increased caregiving burdens. Their role as primary caregivers and household managers amplifies their vulnerability.
• Limited Access to EWS: Existing EWS—primarily reliant on mobile, television, and radio communications—fail to adequately reach women due to barriers like limited technological access, low literacy, and exclusion from community-level decision-making.
• Traditional Knowledge Undervalued: Women rely significantly on traditional and indigenous forecasting systems, which remain largely excluded from formal EWS frameworks.
• Barriers to Participation: Patriarchal norms, domestic responsibilities, and social perceptions restrict women’s involvement in drought preparedness planning, both at the household and community levels.

Recommendations:

1. Localised and Inclusive Communication: Use community-based tools like temple speakers, SHG meetings, and women’s gram sabhas for timely, simplified drought warnings in local languages.
2. Women’s Leadership in EWS: Institutionalise women’s participation in drought planning through village-level committees and representation in Gram Panchayat meetings.
3. Strengthen Food and Water Security: Promote women-led food preservation, seed banks, and water storage infrastructure; enhance Public Distribution Systems with targeted provisions for vulnerable women.
4. Support Livelihood Resilience: Improve women’s access to credit, employment (e.g., NREGS), and drought-resistant farming techniques; encourage bio-farming and local input generation.
5. Enhance Health and Safety: Train frontline workers to address gendered health needs during droughts and provide safe spaces to counter rising gender-based violence.
6. Media and Policy Engagement: Develop media toolkits and encourage coverage that centers women’s voices and links drought to broader climate change narratives.

This brief concludes that a gender-transformative approach to drought EWS—one that integrates women’s knowledge, addresses intersectional vulnerabilities, and ensures equitable access to warnings and resources—is not just inclusive but essential for building resilient farming communities.