Forty nine cases were received and Five cases were selected as winners in three categories which will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. in May 17th.
Climate change is making the challenge of ending hunger and malnutrition even more difficult. Its effects on ecosystems are widespread and can be very severe, and while some of the problems are emerging gradually, action is urgently needed now to build resilience.
The new climate scenarios are already severely impacting farmers and their families in Latin America and the Caribbean, making it necessary to work in partnership to minimize its effects and the negative social consequences they bring, such as migration and displacement.
The Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology (FONTAGRO) and its sponsors, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) sought to identify innovations that contribute to the adaptation of family agriculture to climate change. To this effect, FONTAGRO carried out an open competition supported by the project “Mechanisms for Technology Transfer and Climatic Networks in Latin American and the Caribbean” funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Forty nine cases were received, demonstrating that farmers and their supporting organizations are developing, adapting and adopting climate smart technologies and practices. Five cases were selected as winners in three categories and will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. in May 17th.
The winning cases represent a wide range of innovations to improve production, manage agroecosystems and natural resources, and improve local organization to positively change attitudes and behaviors in light of the challenges posed by increasing temperatures.
Two cases won in the category Associations of Producers, Processors, Traders, and NGOS. The first case, Adapta Sertaõ, features an efficient coalition of organizations that assist small farmers deal with the severe drought that continues to affect the Brazilian Sertaõ. The community based adaptation approach used empowers farmers to find their own solutions without undue reliance on government interventions. The implementation of a climate smart production system called MAIS, is bringing about distinguishable impacts. For instance, the producers now make two minimum salaries a month, above the region’s average; income from producing and marketing non-traditional crops such as vegetables increased by 30%; and women spend less time fetching water and tending their cattle.
The second case, from Bolivia, was carried out jointly by the Center for Agricultural Promotion and the Association of Fisherwomen in the Integrated North. Traditionally in the area, farmers- especially women farmers- cultivated rice in monoculture. However, this crop is highly vulnerable to changes in weather and market fluctuations, rendering the local families more vulnerable to the effects of climate change. As a response to this threat, two hundred Quechua families switched from rice production to fish farming. The alliance strengthened capacity, provided new technology and undertook participatory research with the new women fish farmers. This activity has increased the supply of fish from 50 to 400 tons per year, of which 70% is consumed locally and the remaining 30% is consumed in other regions of the country.
An innovative system for producing native goats in Río Negro, Argentina that has given renewed hope to 90 families of Mapuche origin, won in the category of national research organizations. The initiative was carried out by the National Agricultural Technology Institute (INTA) with support of the Ministry of Family Agriculture and the local government to empower farmers who were becoming increasingly vulnerable to more frequent droughts that affect the area. Furthermore, this initiative was launched two years after the eruption of Puyehue Volcano that prompted the youth to leave the area in search for a better life. INTA reintroduced native goats and developed the production systems rescuing the knowledge of the local producers. Two years into the project, 40% of the needs for meat consumption have been satisfied, replacing frozen poultry that was usually obtained from outside the region. In addition, these rustic goats are bred and fed local fodder, reducing the greenhouse gas emissions generated by the transportation of meat and grain from other areas.
Two cases will be awarded in the category of international research organizations. The first one was carried out by the International Potato Center (CIP) and the Research Center for Natural Resources and Environment (CIRNMA), both in Peru. Recognizing that 68% of the rural population of the Peruvian Altiplano lives in extreme poverty and face high climate variability, these organizations are working with farmers to diversify livelihoods and improve food security and household incomes. The results included improvements in the productivity, quality and availability of food crops such as cañihua and quinoa, and diversification of the local diet with nutritious food such as milk and fish. The case also included school gardens that produced as many as 18 different organic crops, coupled with nutritional education for 500 mothers.
The second case in this category was executed by the Latin American Fund for Irrigated Rice (FLAR) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) from 2008 to 2012. These organizations launched a pilot initiative changing rain-fed to irrigation farming through rainwater harvesting, as an alternative in order to increase farmers yields and rural income through diversified irrigated crop production systems, as well as fish farming. Through the construction of pilot reservoirs in smallholder farms, different irrigation systems were installed and agronomical practices for high productivity were validated, which allowed producers to double, and even triple, their crop yields. The rainwater harvesting project had a strong component of training and technology transfer, during and after the construction of reservoirs, which involved producers, technicians, state agencies, and other organizations that found in rainwater harvesting a solution to be productive throughout the year.
Finally, the Board of FONTAGRO decided to award a special mention to recognize an innovative case of intensification of livestock systems in Costa Rica, carried out by the Chorotegan Agroforestry Association.
The top eleven cases emanating from the contest will be featured in a publication that will be used to train and inspire others in the use of different technologies and practices to adapt family agriculture to climate change.
In supporting FONTAGRO’s efforts, IICA is contributing to make agricultural innovation a priority in Latin America, and encouraging more investment in research and development, technology transfer and adoption, education and training, and advisory services, to achieve sustainable productivity growth in the region.
More information: priscila.henriquez@iica.int
This post appears in the IICA Delegation in the USA Newsletter – March – April 2016
