Abhilasha Deepa Minz, Madhumita Minz and Puja Singh
Abstract
Climate Information Services (CIS) are vital for risk mitigation in perishable, climate-sensitive smallholder horticulture. However, structural gender disparities often impede equitable service uptake. This study investigated the access, perception, and utilization of CIS among vegetable growers in the Chota Nagpur plateau region, Jharkhand, India. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with p 120 vegetable farmers (n1=28 males, n2=92 females) across Kanke and Angara blocks in Ranchi district. Using a non-parametric analytical framework, differences in perception and access were evaluated using Mann-Whitney U, Chi-Square (?2), and Spearmanâs rank correlation (p) tests to accommodate unequal sub-group proportions and ordinal survey metrics. The empirical findings reveal a distinct âPerception-Access Paradoxâ. Mann-Whitney U test results indicated no statistically significant differences between male and female growers regarding perceived need (p=0.284), effectiveness (=0.541), or credibility (p=0.412) of weather advisories, reflecting a universal valuation of climate information. Conversely, Chi-Square analysis showed significant gender disparities in direct internet access (?2 = 3.891, p=0.048) and social media usage (?2=3.891; p=0.048), with female growers bottlenecked by lower formal education (p=0.024) and restricted digital infrastructure. Electronic media remained the primary information source overall (81.67%). Furthermore, climate service utilization exhibited a strong positive correlation with mass media exposure ((p=0.452; p<0.01), extension contact (p=0.386; p<0.01), and annual farm income (0.418; p>0.01). The study concludes that while intrinsic demand and trust in climate services are gender-neutral, systemic access bottlenecks prevent female farmers from converting information into economic resilience. Integrating localized voice advisories with womenâs self-help groups (SHGs) and downscaling advisories to block levels are recommended to bridge the digital extension divide.