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Agriculture, being one of the most significant
economic activities in the Andes Mountains, is
particularly important to those living there but also
to the wider economy. However, it is one of the
human activities most affected by climate change. The
agricultural industry increases in significance from
north to south in Andean countries, from 4 per cent
of GDP in Venezuela to 13 per cent in Bolivia (World
Bank, 2013). This is also generally the case for the
degree of employment in agriculture, from 8 per cent
in Venezuela to 32 per cent in Bolivia. Precipitation
and water flow changes will have significant effects
on irrigation across the region. In the Bolivian
mountains andAltiplano, the increased concentration
of the rainy season has already affected farmers
(Boillat and Berkes, 2013). Farmers have shifted
their crops to fast-growing vegetables relying more
on artificial irrigation. This puts pressure on water
flow, which is eventually shared with communities in
the lowlands. Many rural farming communities are
significantly affected by national and international
migration. Young men disproportionally migrate in
search of employment and opportunities elsewhere.
This leaves responsibilities for agriculture in the
mountains in the hands of women, children and
the elderly. The fact that women generally have less
access to adaptation options is therefore particularly
problematic for many mountain communities.
Agriculture will be both positively and negatively
affected by climate change. A general trend is that
as the mountains become warmer, crops suited to
warmer environments will be able to grow in higher
elevations. Reduced frost in the high mountains is
beneficial since badly timed frost-nights can destroy
Food
harvests (Condori et al., 2014). Temperate farming,
such as for maize and rice, could also benefit from
increased warming through upward expansion of
farmable land. A study of corn farmers in Peru found
that in the last two decades, crops had been extended
by 200-300 m in altitude (Skarbø and Lambrou,
2015). The crops adapted to the higher altitudes,
however, are likely to suffer due to natural limitations
to upward relocation.
Potato and oca are examples of crops particularly
threatened by climate change. For tubers to keep
Cocora Valley, Colombia