Abstract

LIUHTO, Minttu; MERCADO, Geovana  and  ARUQUIPA, Rosmery. Climate change, quinoa production and farmers adaptation capacity in the bolivian altiplan. RIIARn [online]. 2016, vol.3, n.2, pp.166-178. ISSN 2409-1618.

Abstract: The Bolivian Altiplano, is a key production site for quinoa. Quinoa is the only crop that can grow in these harsh arid climatic conditions due to the higher tolerance of the crop for dry and salty soils. This arid highland is, however, highly susceptible to climate change, and the increasing drought conditions projected in the región are threatening the resilience ofeven this exceptionally tolerant crop. 21 communities were visitedfor research purposes, and inmost farmers reported of already suffering from the impactsof climate change. Quinoa provides most ofthe livelihoodsforthe rural small-holder farmers in Altiplano. Losing the production, therefore, have reported to have a profound effect on the income and well-being ofthe farmers. Increasing global market demand ofthe crop and pressure for extensive production have also introduced unsustainable production methods. These are causing further soil erosión, increasing the vulnerability ofthe production to drought, wind and frost. Due to the slow political progress of the mitigation efforts globally, the need for adaptation is becoming unavoidable in Bolivia, and in Altiplano particular. The quinoa producing communities in southern Altiplano are equipped with limited resources and low adaptive capacity. Loss of quinoa production to drought is becoming increasingly common in Altiplano, and to ensure sustainable quinoa production in the área in the future, appropriate resources need to be leveraged at a community level. This requires strong political dedication in Bolivia for climate action, and a distribution of resources locally, with a focus on anticipatory and bottom-up adaptation strategies. A 6-step Policy Recommendation is presented in aim to address and improve the adaptive capacity of the quinoa producers in Altiplano.

Keywords : Climate change; quinoa; Bolivia; Altiplano; adaptation; adaptive capacity.

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