- Title
- Climate risk management for Smallholder Agriculture in Honduras
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- Abstract
- "This report presents the main results of a climate risk and risk management capacity assessment of smallholder agriculture in Honduras, conducted as part of the Climate Risk Management Technical Assistance Support Project (CRM TASP) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The combination of different scientifc and participatory research streams, including literature reviews, community consultations, participatory scenario development, crop modelling, hazard and vulnerability mapping, and policy and capacity assessments, provides a basis for identifying climate risks for smallholder agriculture and prioritizing measures to manage them.
Honduras is a poor country with low levels of education and security and high environmental degradation. As such, it is inherently vulnerable to economic, social and natural stressors. Agriculture contributes 12 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), earns US$1.4 billion in foreign exchange per year, and provides livelihoods and food security for a majority of Hondurans. The current practice of expanding monocultures and cattle ranching is pushing smallholders onto ever poorer and steeper soils, making them especially vulnerable to climate extremes. Key current climate hazards include droughts and aridity in the west, centre, southeast and south; tropical storms and cyclones, which also lead to foods and landslides across the country but predominantly in the northeast; and cold fronts on the Caribbean coast. Climate projections indicate a hotter and drier future, particularly for the south and west and during the months of June through August, intensifying general water scarcity and recurrent midsummer droughts.
The combination of increasing hazards and vulnerability not only puts smallholders at direct risk, but also can jeopardize the achievements of national and sectoral development goals, such as reduction of poverty and inequality; improvement of education, health and security; and access to water. The Honduran Government aims to reach an annual growth rate of 4 percent in the agriculture sector, raise exports by 70 percent over four years, increase production levels of staples, coffee, fruits and vegetables, and increase irrigation by 30 percent, but climate variability and change threaten these plans."
- Publication Date
- Jan. 1, 2013, 6 p.m.
- Category
- Climatology Meteorology Atmosphere
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processes and phenomena of the atmosphere. Examples: cloud cover, weather, climate, atmospheric conditions, climate change, precipitation
- Regions
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Honduras
- Responsible
- andy
- More info
- -
- Language
- English
- Supplemental Information
- coastal_flood, strong_wind, drought, urban_flood, extreme_heat, wildfire, landslide
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