Community-based strategies for climate adaptation in rural Mexico: The case of the Huasteca Potosina

Resumo

For rural communities engaged in rainfed agricultural systems, climate variability and change are substantial concerns. In response, many communities have implemented strategies to face climate challenges. This study examines the strategies implemented by indigenous farmers engaged in rainfed agriculture systems to address the impacts of climate variability and change in four communities in the Huasteca Potosina, Mexico. The research, based on participatory methods, included in-depth interviews with key actors, stakeholder surveys, participatory workshops, and participant observation, as well as triangulation of information. In the study area, erratic rainfall, rising temperatures, and prolonged droughts are the main climate changes that threaten the livelihoods, local economies, and cultural identities of the indigenous farming communities. The most widely adopted strategies to address adverse climate conditions included soil conservation, land management, and participation in working groups. Emerging strategies involve training and capacity building supported by government programs. Necessary but less common practices were mainly associated with water management. The government programs have promoted several of these strategies, while others have emerged from empirical knowledge. A close relationship was found between traditional knowledge, institutional frameworks, and the availability of resources of time and money for the implementation of these strategies. Consolidation of the most effective strategies requires institutional support to be maintained, so changes in current agricultural policy could negatively impact many advances. Effective adaptation strategies in the face of expected climate change must consider the specific socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental conditions.