USE OF CLIMATE INFORMATION IN USE OF CLIMATE INFORMATION IN AGRICULTURE DECISION-MAKING: AGRICULTURE DECISION-MAKING: EXPERIENCE FROM FARMERS IN EXPERIENCE FROM FARMERS IN

CENTRAL ARGENTINACENTRAL ARGENTINA

Marta G. VINOCUR*, Marta G. VINOCUR*, Andrea V. RIVAROLAAndrea V. RIVAROLA and and Roberto A. SEILER Roberto A. SEILERUUNIVERSITY OF RÍO CUARTO-NIVERSITY OF RÍO CUARTO-ArgentinaArgentina

Paper prepared for the Paper prepared for the Second International Conference on Climate Impacts Second International Conference on Climate Impacts AssessmentAssessment

June 28-July 2, 2004June 28-July 2, 2004**mvinocur@ayv.unrc.edu.armvinocur@ayv.unrc.edu.ar

Project AIACC LA-29; Research funded by UNEP-GEF-TWASProject AIACC LA-29; Research funded by UNEP-GEF-TWAS

Oncativo

Laboulaye

Río Cuarto

Marco Juárez

Córdoba ProvinceCórdoba Province

ArgentinaArgentina

Study areaStudy area

OBJOBJEECTIVESCTIVES

To understand farmers’ perceptions, needs To understand farmers’ perceptions, needs and uses of climate information to improve and uses of climate information to improve crop production and resource managementcrop production and resource management

To know how farmers incorporate climate To know how farmers incorporate climate information in their decision-making process, information in their decision-making process, according to the political context and to the according to the political context and to the underlying levels of farmers’ vulnerability underlying levels of farmers’ vulnerability

Materials and MethodsMaterials and Methods Four places belonging to different agro-ecological zones Four places belonging to different agro-ecological zones

were selected for this study: Oncativo (North), Laboulaye were selected for this study: Oncativo (North), Laboulaye (South), Río Cuarto (West) and Marcos Juarez (East). (South), Río Cuarto (West) and Marcos Juarez (East).

In each place, a random sample of farmers representing In each place, a random sample of farmers representing the differences in farms/households types was chosen for:the differences in farms/households types was chosen for: Open ended individual interviewsOpen ended individual interviews a formal semi-structured field survey with open and close a formal semi-structured field survey with open and close

questions questions Focus groups meetings with farmers and qualified groups Focus groups meetings with farmers and qualified groups

of stakeholders (grain dealers, cooperative managers, of stakeholders (grain dealers, cooperative managers, local providers, regional farmers consortium managers, local providers, regional farmers consortium managers, municipio authorities, etc.), with different decision levels municipio authorities, etc.), with different decision levels were done to present the project and to communicate were done to present the project and to communicate project’s findings in each place. project’s findings in each place.

Representatives from different sectors of the four cities Representatives from different sectors of the four cities participated in a panel discussion.participated in a panel discussion.

MMaterials and Methodsaterials and MethodsSurveySurvey

Socio-economic characteristics of each Socio-economic characteristics of each household/farm (farm size, farm type, tenure, household/farm (farm size, farm type, tenure, applied technology, access to resources, off-farm applied technology, access to resources, off-farm income, education, etc.)income, education, etc.)

Importance and sources of climate information; Importance and sources of climate information; users’ knowledge of regional climate; users’ users’ knowledge of regional climate; users’ attitudes to climate forecast; users’ perception of attitudes to climate forecast; users’ perception of the value of climate forecast (credibility, ability to the value of climate forecast (credibility, ability to respond, etc.); users’ preferences about timing, respond, etc.); users’ preferences about timing, format and content of a climate forecast, etc. format and content of a climate forecast, etc.

Surveys’ compilation and data analysis were done Surveys’ compilation and data analysis were done using an statistical package (SPSS).using an statistical package (SPSS).

Oncativo Laboulaye Marcos Juárez Río Cuarto City

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Yes No

Do you usually use climate information?Do you usually use climate information?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Oncativo LaboulayeMarcos Juarez

Río Cuarto

Which types of climate information do farmers use?

Other

Climate forecast

Actual data

Historical data

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Oncativo Laboulaye MarcosJuarez

Río Cuarto

Sources of climate information

Own/general indicators

Comments

Ext.agent/Consultant

Periodical Bulletins

Technical Reports

Internet

Newspaper

T.V

Radio

Use of climate forecast and farm sizeUse of climate forecast and farm size

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Oncativo Laboulaye Marcos Juarez Rio Cuarto

> 500 ha.

250-500 ha

< 250 ha.

Use of climate forecast and farmers’ageUse of climate forecast and farmers’age

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Oncativo Laboulaye Marcos Juarez Rio Cuarto

> 65 years

46 - 65 years

30 - 45 years

< 30 years

Why do you not use climate information?Why do you not use climate information?

Not Credible or low credibilityNot Credible or low credibility Bad distribution channels/not access to the Bad distribution channels/not access to the

communication channelscommunication channels Lack of interestLack of interest Difficult to understand/not clear enoughDifficult to understand/not clear enough Very generalVery general Lack of customLack of custom

Characteristics of an useful climate Characteristics of an useful climate forecastforecast

TimingTiming One month before planting: 40%One month before planting: 40% Between 2-3 months before planting:34%Between 2-3 months before planting:34% > 3 months: 15%> 3 months: 15%

FormatFormat: : Graphs alone and with associated explanations: 52%Graphs alone and with associated explanations: 52% Tables alone and with associated explanations: 19%Tables alone and with associated explanations: 19% Only Explanations (descriptive),maps: 29%Only Explanations (descriptive),maps: 29%

Other ContentOther Content:: percentages percentages comparison with past yearscomparison with past years above normal, near normal or below normal with the associated above normal, near normal or below normal with the associated

probabilitiesprobabilities Actual data, means and deviation from the meanActual data, means and deviation from the mean

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Oncativo Laboulaye Marcos Juarez Río Cuarto

Extreme climate events that affect farm production

Hailstorms

Floods

Drought

Climate Information Required for Making Climate Information Required for Making Decisions at the Farm LevelDecisions at the Farm Level

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Rains

Soil

TemperatureNiño/NiñaForecast SeasonalForecast DroughtForecast Flood Forecast

Río Cuarto

Marcos Juarez

Laboulaye

Oncativo

Which decisions would you be most likely Which decisions would you be most likely to change to reduce climate risks? to change to reduce climate risks?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Oncativo LaboulayeMarcosJuarez Río Cuarto

Reduce Sells/Buys

Change Livestock Breeds

Change Varieties

Decrease/Increase plant density

Input Mangement

Change Crop Mix

Change Crop

Crop Insurance

Change Planting Date

Socio-cultural aspectsSocio-cultural aspects ((conceptions, social conceptions, social constructions, perceptions, beliefs,etc.) (From Maurutto et constructions, perceptions, beliefs,etc.) (From Maurutto et

al, 2003)al, 2003)

Learning matrix: the way in which each subject organizes Learning matrix: the way in which each subject organizes and gives meaning to the universe of his/her experience and gives meaning to the universe of his/her experience and knowledgeand knowledge

““Naturalized” perception of climate. Naturalized” perception of climate. Climate is a part of their daily life, their “quotidian life” Climate is a part of their daily life, their “quotidian life”

related to their living reality and to their historical past.related to their living reality and to their historical past. The Quotidian life is built from a common cultural The Quotidian life is built from a common cultural

background stored by society which includes beliefs, background stored by society which includes beliefs, basic values, historical and cultural references that basic values, historical and cultural references that conform a collective memory and its own identity (Ibanez, conform a collective memory and its own identity (Ibanez, 1988). 1988).

Decision making is not a succession of rational stages but Decision making is not a succession of rational stages but a process influence by principles that can generate and a process influence by principles that can generate and organize practices and representations (derived from the organize practices and representations (derived from the concept of concept of habitushabitus (Bourdieu,1991) (Bourdieu,1991)

Farmer’s own wordsFarmer’s own words “ “ But look, as a farmer working in an ‘open sky enterprise’ you may But look, as a farmer working in an ‘open sky enterprise’ you may

be sure that climate is very important, basic, I would say that most be sure that climate is very important, basic, I would say that most farmers wake up in the morning and look at the horizon and go to farmers wake up in the morning and look at the horizon and go to sleep at night and look at the horizon, to see whether there is a sleep at night and look at the horizon, to see whether there is a storm, or the wind is going to blow from the south, whether it is cold, storm, or the wind is going to blow from the south, whether it is cold, whether it is going to freeze or not, because everything depends on whether it is going to freeze or not, because everything depends on the weather from the day of sowing to the day of harvesting” -the weather from the day of sowing to the day of harvesting” -farmer, 47 years old, Rio Cuarto farmer, 47 years old, Rio Cuarto

““when one watches the ants coming and going, taking their little when one watches the ants coming and going, taking their little eggs up and down, a weather change is sure to happen”eggs up and down, a weather change is sure to happen”

““That comes from my father, from the countryside… we all around That comes from my father, from the countryside… we all around here look upwards and calculate, experience guides us. Years of here look upwards and calculate, experience guides us. Years of practice!”, farmer, 73 years old, unfinished primary school, practice!”, farmer, 73 years old, unfinished primary school, Laboulaye.Laboulaye.

““During a drought, one nearby neighbour took all the saints and left During a drought, one nearby neighbour took all the saints and left them upside down, under the sun, to ask for rain. We also celebrate them upside down, under the sun, to ask for rain. We also celebrate masses in the town to ask for rain, for example, every Wednesday masses in the town to ask for rain, for example, every Wednesday the mass is to ask for rain”, farmer, 56 years old, primary school, Rio the mass is to ask for rain”, farmer, 56 years old, primary school, Rio CuartoCuarto

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

Users of climate information required:Users of climate information required: Forecast tailored to their needsForecast tailored to their needs Improve accuracy, timing and formatImprove accuracy, timing and format Downscaled temporally and spatially to users’ specific Downscaled temporally and spatially to users’ specific

locationslocationsTo promote climate forecast use, it is necessary:To promote climate forecast use, it is necessary: to improve users’ knowledge about regional weather and to improve users’ knowledge about regional weather and

climateclimate to educate users about the differences between short to educate users about the differences between short

term, long term/seasonal forecasts.term, long term/seasonal forecasts. to analyze institutional ways of dissemination of climate to analyze institutional ways of dissemination of climate

informationinformation to improve communication between researchers and end to improve communication between researchers and end

usersusers