External Drivers and Internal Control Factors that Determine the Vulnerability and Response Capacity to Drought of Cattle Producers in the Sierras Del Este Region of Uruguay

Abstract

Increased response and adaptation capacity are key elements for coping with climate threats. Cattle producers in the Sierras del Este region are one of several groups that are the most vulnerable to climate variability in Uruguay. Despite this commonality, it is a heterogeneous system, which suggests that strategies to respond to these events are divergent. The objective of this work is to identify and evaluate the vulnerability of cattle producers to drought and determine drought response strategies. A new approach is proposed and focuses on the identification of differential capacities to address the vulnerabilities. In addition, this approach seeks to define groups of similar producers of vulnerability since the design of public policies cannot be developed in isolation. For evaluation, we provided consultations with livestock producers and specialists from which we collected our data. Data was analysed using multivariate statistical analyses. Our results indicated that 69% of the system's vulnerability variance can be explained by 4 components: the capacity for cattle management, the socio-economic capacity to handle drought, the capacity to generate alternatives to cattle feeding, and the commercial and financial flexibility of the producers. These findings also yielded response groups that, in turn, identified 7 producer groups with significant differences in the available and necessary capacities to respond to drought. This methodological strategy allowed the operationalization of the vulnerability and responsiveness concepts, and the identification of strategies for these events. Additionally, this strategy creates an understanding of the complexity of the system and the variables that contribute to it.

Drought vulnerability assessment of cattle producers in the Sierras del Este-Uruguay: Interactions between actors and agents

“…The medium extent of the properties is 150 ha (min = 20 ha and max = 1300 ha). The majority of the producers has the following characteristic: develop a mixed cattle production (bovine and ovine) exclusively over natural grasslands, present a medium or high vulnerability to drought due to deficiencies in the capacity to manage the activity (Díaz et al, 2017). In addition, they have weak interactions between them and with the agricultural institutions (Díaz et al, 2017).…”

“…The majority of the producers has the following characteristic: develop a mixed cattle production (bovine and ovine) exclusively over natural grasslands, present a medium or high vulnerability to drought due to deficiencies in the capacity to manage the activity (Díaz et al, 2017). In addition, they have weak interactions between them and with the agricultural institutions (Díaz et al, 2017). The land price increment and the reduction of the livestock area as a result of the advance of afforestation (mainly Eucalyptus globulus , destined to production of cellulose pulp) is one of the main threats of the activity.…”

“…A total of 37 semi-structured interviews were conducted with cattle producers, 6 with private technicians and 2 with Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) technicians were also carried out. Each producer was consulted about their situation in four response groups identified by Díaz et al (2017) according to key capacities for coping with drought. On the basis of these results, we classified participants into six groups (Table 1).…”

“…Some regions of the country (e.g. Sierras del Este) experience even higher vulnerability due to a combination of geophysical, social and economic factors (Díaz et al, 2017; Gómez and Saravia, 2016). Considering the grasslands productivity and variability in these systems, the absence of adaptation practices has prevailed (Díaz et al, 2017).…”

“…Sierras del Este) experience even higher vulnerability due to a combination of geophysical, social and economic factors (Díaz et al, 2017; Gómez and Saravia, 2016). Considering the grasslands productivity and variability in these systems, the absence of adaptation practices has prevailed (Díaz et al, 2017). Although, in the last years there have been promotions to increase the adaptation to drought in political, scientific-academic and at the producer level (Cruz et al, 2018), there is still a long way to go.…”