Outlook on climate change adaptation in the Tropical Andes mountains

Food (agriculture)

Opportunities Ongoing concerns on climate change impacts represent an opportunity for studies to generate knowledge on impacts on agriculture and mountain ecosystems. Moreover, this knowledge would uncover the need for policies targeting specific vulnerabilities, diminishing exposures and increasing adaptive capacities. Mountains territories have important resources for national economies (e.g. minerals, water). Intersectoral dialogue may bring the opportunity to include other resources (e.g. agroecosystems, land, knowledge) in these studies. Moreover, links with other sectors would allow a more comprehensive understanding of mountain ecosystem dynamics under climate change and socioeconomic pressures.

Farming in the high Tropical Andes is dominated by small-scale family farms in communities with few other economic opportunities and limited adaptive capacity (Wymann et al., 2013). Adaptation measures in these areas must also address wider social factors, such as poverty, education, and urbanization. Some farmers could see diminishing crop yields, which would negatively affect their nutrition and general economic situation. This is due to the numerous effects of climate change, including changes in hydrology, temperature, precipitation, ecosystem degradation and changing pests. However, certain crops are positively affected by climate change, which could improve the situation of other farmers. Combining technical capacity with traditional knowledge on climate change is necessary to ensure that highland communities can adapt to these changes and improve their economic situation. Tropical Andean countries emphasize different adaptation approaches to changes in agriculture. However, in a general, the specific problems facing highland farmers are not afforded attention. Colombia combines the reduction of risk for crop failure with strengthening competitiveness for export: it is implementing adaptation policies while investing in research and innovation. Ecuador focuses on securing its food sovereignty. An important component of sustainable food sovereignty is the capacity for quick response when crops are threatened by extreme climatic events. Ecuador’s government institutions working on agriculture stress the importance of food sovereignty and extreme events. Policies on the latter reflect a focus on short-term climatic variation, but

lack a long-term perspective on climate change. Similarly, Peru emphasizes preventing impacts of extreme events and crop failure. Bolivian policies stress the relationship between resilience and food sovereignty. The country has developed and is implementing an insurance scheme against climate hazards for agricultural productions (National Institute for Agricultural Assurance). Policy gaps • Lack of policies targeting climate change impacts on mountain agriculture. For instance, upward migration of crops and ecosystems, and its effects on croplands, overlying pastures and high Andean biodiversity. • Lack of overarching programmes and a long-term perspective on cross-sectoral coordination for agricultural adaptation to climate change. • Lack of efforts to improve the science-policy interface in order to facilitate the formulation of evidence-based policies. • Inadequate coordination between national and subnational levels: the interventions have missed opportunities for constructive feedback, experience sharing, and economies of scale. • Inadequate policy coverage addressing the consequences for food production of outmigration from rural mountain communities, as well as potentially positive impacts onmountain agricultural systems. • Lack of efforts to strengthen knowledge about climate change in mountain communities and to integrate climate science with traditional and local knowledge.

Woman collecting dried potatoes, Peru

81