Climate Change Adaptation, Vulnerability and Resilience: Three

case studies in the Brazilian Semi-aridStéphanie Nasuti, Diego P. Lindoso, Catherine A. Gucciardi

Garcez, Marcel Bursztyn, Izabel Ibiapina, Gabriela Litre, Raquel Fetter, Carlos Henke de Oliveira, Saulo Rodrigues

FilhoApril, 2013 – Bonn

Source: RedeCLIMA │©S. Nasuti, 2012

Sub-Network: Regional Dev. & Climate Change

Source: IBGE and sub-network RD&CC │©S. Nasuti, 2012 Photos: Raquel Fetter and Carolina Pedroso

Characterization of the sample80% rain-fed agriculture

High dependence on climatic conditionsVulnerability to lack of water and drought (Bahia,

Piauí, Ceará) / excess rainfall (Seridó-RN) Generalized perception of changing

precipitations regimesPerception of displacements and

unpredictabilityCongruent with data collected from weather

stations

Photos: Diego Lindoso, Stéphanie Nasuti, and Carolina Pedroso

Do family farmers have the capacity to plan their crops?

Little access to adequate weather forecastMainly “We do the same thing every year”

Gilbués-PI

Seridó-RN

Juazeiro-BA

Illiterate or poor level of education

74% 73% 85%

No technical assistance

95% 62% 69%

Responsive adaptation is observed

Abandoning the most fragile crops (rice, cassava, corn); adapting the size of the field;

Selling the animals; improvising “fodder” (mixture cassava, corn, cactus)

Little to no storing of fodder Migration strategies (people and cattle)

Gilbués-PI Seridó-RN Juazeiro-BA

Abandoned a crop 54% 45% 8%

Photos: Stéphanie Nasuti

Conclusion

Policies focus on reducing the symptoms of vulnerability, not the causes of vulnerability

Agriculture and animal breeding remains highly vulnerable to rains conditions Lack of alternatives: technical, financial, cultural

challenges

Adaptation actions responsive (to extreme events), individual/domestic scaleAim is to guarantee economic/food securityCharacteristic of developing nations

Gilbués-PI Seridó-RN Juazeiro-BAReceive at least one social benefit

95% 93% 90%

Policy RecommendationsAccess to appropriate technical and

meteorological informationAlternatives to agricultural production:

Payment for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (i.e. Bolsa Verde “Green Grant” for the Caatinga)

Income from (solar and wind) energy production; public and private investments

Poverty reduction and reduced inequalities:Education to combat low literacy rates;

technical training to support human capital and improve livelihoods

Future stepsAggregating data from the 4th case study;

CearáPlanning return visits to allow for

temporal comparisons (contingent upon securing funding)

Preparing booklets for outreach for the communities

Comparisons between biomes

Photos: Stéphanie Nasuti and Carolina Pedroso

Thank you!

Special appreciation to:

www.cds.unb.br

redeclima.ccst.inpe.br

Funding:

Travel support: OAS

CNPq CAPES Banco do Nordeste