Prioritizing Women's Knowledge in Climate Change: Preparing for my Dissertation Research in Indonesia

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Sarah Eissler

Abstract

The implications of climate change are serious for small-scale farmers, particularly those dependent on high value commodity crops, like cacao, to sustain their livelihoods. Of these small-scale farmers, women are disproportionately impacted by the risks and variability attributed to global climate change, yet they are often overlooked in strategy and policy developments for adaptation or mitigation. Local and indigenous women's voices and knowledges especially are missing from global conversations regarding climate change. Sarah Eissler, a PhD Candidate in Rural Sociology, will spend half of 2017 in Sulawesi, Indonesia, investigating and collecting women's voices, knowledge, and experiences, along with opinions in regards to climate change for small-scale cacao producers. This article discusses the preparation involved in conducting a six-month field stay in Indonesia as well as background literature and influences pertaining to a research project that prioritizes women's and indigenous knowledge.

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