Gender differences in farmers’ coping behaviour across drought and flood affected agroecosystems in India

Climate-induced droughts and floods increasingly destabilize agrarian livelihoods, yet empirical evidence on intra-household gender differences in coping preferences across contrasting agro-ecological contexts remains limited. This study examines how male and female members within the same household prioritize coping strategies under drought- and flood-prone conditions in India. A comparative cross-sectional survey of 400 agricultural households was conducted across drought-prone Vidarbha (Maharashtra) and flood-prone Sundarbans (West Bengal) and Ganjam (Odisha). Eleven coping strategies were identified through focus group discussions and literature review. Coping-strategy prioritisation was quantified using the Rank Based Quotient (RBQ), and intra-household gender differences in strategy rankings were examined using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. In drought-prone Vidarbha, borrowing from relatives emerged as the highest-ranked coping strategy for both men (RBQ = 81.64) and women (RBQ = 80.23). In contrast, women in the flood-prone Sundarbans placed markedly greater emphasis on meal reduction (RBQ = 69.96), while men prioritised livelihood- and income-oriented strategies. Statistically significant intra-household gender differences (Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, p < 0.05) were observed across several coping strategies within all study regions. Across the three agroecosystems, men generally favoured financial mobilisation and livelihood diversification, whereas women prioritised consumption management and household resource conservation. The findings indicate that coping responses are ecosystem-specific and shaped by gender-differentiated access to livelihood resources and decision-making. The study contributes empirically by providing statistically validated intra-household gender comparisons across multiple hazard contexts. Theoretically, the study contributes by refining gender-sensitive applications of the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework under contrasting hazard contexts, while using broader social–ecological perspectives only to contextualise ecosystem-specific variation in coping behaviour. The results underscore the importance of ecosystem-sensitive and gender-responsive climate adaptation planning and policies that recognise intra-household differences in access to livelihood resources and decision-making.