Accessing adaptation: Multiple stressors on livelihoods in the Bolivian highlands under a changing climate

McDowell, Julia Z.; Hess, Jeremy

doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2011.11.002

Cited by 237 publications

(147 citation statements)

References 92 publications

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“…Farmers' perceptions of climate change in the eight study communities are in line with empirical data and other studies on farmers' perceptions in the Andean highlands (Perez et al 2010;Thibeault et al 2010;Valdivia et al 2010;McDowell and Hess 2012;Seiler et al 2013;Lennox 2015). The increasing problem of pests and diseases experienced by farmers is associated with rising temperatures and further exacerbated by shifts towards monoculture, pest-susceptible varieties, and abbreviated crop rotation schedules (Parsa 2010;Perez et al 2010;McDowell and Hess 2012;Poveda et al 2012).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

“…The increasing problem of pests and diseases experienced by farmers is associated with rising temperatures and further exacerbated by shifts towards monoculture, pest-susceptible varieties, and abbreviated crop rotation schedules (Parsa 2010;Perez et al 2010;McDowell and Hess 2012;Poveda et al 2012). Adaptation actions reported in our study communities (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…These changes in crops and varieties reflect farmers' responses to the changing climate, as well as shifting social and economic conditions. The adoption and expansion of commercial crops and varieties contribute to a diversified livelihood portfolio (Zimmerer 2013), but can lead to maladaptation as observed by McDowell and Hess (2012) in another municipality in the Department of La Paz: In Palca, shifts from hillside subsistence farming to commercial vegetable production in irrigated fields increased farmers' sensitivity to climate change by raising dependence on unreliable water sources and hail-sensitive crops, as well as exposing them to market volatility (McDowell and Hess 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…El Niño) that bring drought in some years and floods in others (Seiler et al 2013). Indigenous farmers have traditionally managed this unpredictable and harsh environment by using drought-and frosttolerant crops, keeping many crop varieties, and planting across multiple plots to disperse risk and take advantage of high spatial heterogeneity, among other strategies (Halloy et al 2005;Perez et al 2010;McDowell and Hess 2012). The few crops that can tolerate these difficult growing conditions are mainly native roots and grains that have been domesticated by Andean farmers over centuries, including several potato species (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We focused on farmers' perceptions because they inform their planting decisions and other actions that determine their resilience-ability to cope with, adapt to, and recover from shocks-into the future (Folke et al 2010). Several studies have documented Andean farmers' perceptions of climate change and their adaptation actions (Young and Lipton 2006;Valdivia et al 2010;McDowell and Hess 2012;Boillat and Berkes 2013;Lennox 2015), but few have focused on the responses of specific crop varieties to changing conditions and their current uses in adaptation. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, we assessed how farmers' use of crop diversity in adaptation is related to their perceptions of crop and variety tolerance, as well as other environmental, social, and economic factors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Climate change and crop diversity: farmers’ perceptions and adaptation on the Bolivian Altiplano

Meldrum

Mijatović²,

Rojas

et al. 2017

Environ Dev Sustain

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Crop diversity is central to traditional risk management practices on the Andean Altiplano and may find renewed importance in adapting to climate change. This study explored the role of crop diversity in farmers' adaptation actions in eight Aymara communities on the northern Bolivian Altiplano. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, including multifactor analysis and a community resilience selfassessment, we investigated how farmers' use of diversity in adaptation is related to their perceptions of crop and variety tolerances and other environmental, social, and economic factors. Few crops and varieties were perceived as tolerant to increasingly intense and unpredictable drought, frost, hail, and pest and disease outbreaks. Some local crops and varieties were perceived as vulnerable to emerging conditions (e.g. oca, papalisa, isaño), whereas bitter potatoes and wild relatives of quinoa and cañahua were perceived as highly stress tolerant and provide food in harsh periods. A total 19% of households surveyed (N = 193) had introduced new crops or varieties-often disease resistant or early maturing-as an adaptive action. Introduction of commercial crops was a common adaptation action, reflecting farmers' response to warming temperatures and changing economic opportunities, but greater sensitivity of the introduced crops may cause maladaptation. Despite intensification of cropping systems, households continue to maintain a median four potato varieties with different tolerance traits, yet this risk management practice was not perceived as adaptation. Strengthening resilience will require a combination of actions, including maintaining and expanding crop portfolios and restoring soil and ecosystem health, using both traditional and innovative approaches.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Climate change and crop diversity: farmers’ perceptions and adaptation on the Bolivian Altiplano

Meldrum

Mijatović²,

Rojas

et al. 2017

Environ Dev Sustain

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The place of social transformation analysis in vulnerability assessment for climate adaptation planning in Upper West Region, Ghana: A review synthesis

Osei‐Amponsah,

Quarmine,

Wahabu

2023

Climate Resilience

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Climate vulnerability could be influenced by transforming demographic, technological, cultural, political and economic factors, which cuts across global, regional, national and local scales. Such social transformations result in positive and negative outcomes, with implications for the adaptive capacities of resource‐poor households, especially those headed by women. However, these transformations are usually not integrated in climate vulnerability assessments. Based on insights from a stakeholders’ brainstorming workshop and the synthesis of information from traditional literature review, this paper contributes to better understanding of the intersections of social transformation with climate vulnerabilities in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The review indicates that the region is experiencing social transformation triggered by technological, demographic and cultural factors, with implications for climate resilience building. For example, compared to the last decade, there is now an increased use of mobile phones, resulting in improved access to e‐extension and climate‐smart agriculture services. At the same time, an emerging trend of land commodification is driving poor households to sell or lease farming lands. Within the context of these transformations, climate vulnerability is still assessed through approaches that mainly focus on a ‘static’ view of the extent of exposure to climate hazards and their impacts on rural livelihoods. A social transformation analysis that promotes a systematic investigation of the transforming factors is proposed as an effective approach for vulnerability assessment in climate adaptation planning. This approach provides critical reflections on, and sustainable resilience interventions for addressing both changing biophysical and social vulnerabilities of rural communities.

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Measuring sustainability of smallholder livestock farming in Yurimaguas, Peruvian Amazon

Van‐Heurck

Orihuela

Solis

et al. 2020

Food and Energy Security

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Accessing adaptation: Multiple stressors on livelihoods in the Bolivian highlands under a changing climate

Cited by 237 publications

References 92 publications

Climate change and crop diversity: farmers’ perceptions and adaptation on the Bolivian Altiplano

Climate change and crop diversity: farmers’ perceptions and adaptation on the Bolivian Altiplano

The place of social transformation analysis in vulnerability assessment for climate adaptation planning in Upper West Region, Ghana: A review synthesis

Measuring sustainability of smallholder livestock farming in Yurimaguas, Peruvian Amazon

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