Adaptation for Smallholders to Climate Change

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The impacts of climate change on the focus region Estelí / Nicaragua

Nicaragua is affected by many natural dangers like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, cyclones, droughts, forest fires and inundations. Although non sustainable agriculture increases the impact of phenomena like hurricanes the poverty and social inequalities are determining its relative impact on the conditions and life circumstances of different persons and groups.

Nowadays it is proved that the climate change will affect Nicaragua in the nearest future. The realized analyses is corresponding to data from 50 years ago that predicted for the Pacific Region a light increase of the medium temperature of approximately half degree Celsius which can be concluded as a general temperature increase.

In Nicaragua all kind of planning is directed towards droughts with less rainfall, less clouds and a higher temperature that provokes evaporation. This will lead to even drier years than the Nicaraguan agriculture had already suffered the past decades - a reason that needs preventive preparation.

Moreover there is a high deforestation rate in Central America that makes the country even more vulnerable to climate variations and climate change.

The climatic variables that have major impacts on coffee production are:

• increasing temperature
• changing precipitation patterns

The effects of climate change are as well noted by the smallholders from the pilot group of PROODECOOP in Estelí. In different workshop the following risks were defined:

Therefore the coffee producers are suffering losses of harvest and fruit quality. Also the rise of temperature increase plagues and diseases on the cultivation and the rising frequency and intensity of winds and hurricanes are increasing landslides and the loss of coffee plantations what is as well caused by the massive deforestation. Intensive rainfalls are devastating plots and plants of the producers.

To complete the information in a participative manner like collecting data about cultivation that are related to former climate variability the project cooperated with the International Centre of Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). The institute collected scientific climate data and calculated future climate scenarios taking into account the possible changes in cultivating coffee in the regions of Nicaragua.

Implementing the adaptation strategy to climate change

Cafédirect sells coffee of CECOCAFEN and PRODECOOP; the organized producers are integrated through 58 member cooperatives.

In February 2008 AdapCC started the Risk and Opportunity Analysis (ROA) together with the Nicaraguan pilot group PRODECOOP. Representatives from CECOCAFEN were as well involved. Different meetings with main actors, a local workshop with producers of the organisation CEPICAFE and a regional workshop with local actors and relevant nationals were carried out.

As project results working areas for the adaptation to climate change in the coffee sector of Nicaragua were defined. Also links between the measures of public and private politics have been identified on a local-national level.

Based on the identified risks that endanger the coffee production and the there out resulting demands PROODECOOP developed an action plan to implement concrete measures that reduce the risks and adapt to the production system. The concrete working axis are the following:

• realize a training process for 24 trainees of CAFENICA members about climate change and about adaptation measures
• establish a small meteorological station and monitor rainfall and temperature
• validate techniques and methodology of collective work for the fabrication of agricultural organic input
• validate the technical implementation that allow a more efficient management and use of water (drainage, BANQUEO?, storage and micro irrigation in coffee plantations)
• formulate a negotiation proposal for all the members of CAFENICA about the capture of carbon and the ambient services that the cooperatives do
• develop a systematisation process of the experiences which is transferable to a bigger number of coffee producers

For concrete actions please see the operation plan (spanish) and the ROA Systematization of Nicaragua (spanish).

• Operation plan
  Download PDF-Document (0.1 MB, spanish)
• ROA Systematization of Nicaragua
  Download PDF-Document (0.3 MB, spanish)

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