FARMERS ADOPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Our small farmers are on the frontline of climate change with very little resources to buffer climate change effects. Drastic variation in weather patterns, shorten the length of growing season, new emerging pest and diseases among other factor pose serious problems for our small farmers. Our farmers are finding ways of coping through innovative production method for example- on the hillside villages that are growing Dasheen/Taro are using a hole system instead of a MOUND system, what we have seen is a 95% decrease of landslides ON THE HILLSIDES, water conservation. The series of holes system on the hillside became mini contour collections for water and to prevent water from rushing down the hills etc. As a result of this innovative practice is that:

  1. Over 100% increase in yields compared to when people used the  MOUND system.
  2. Water conservation.
  3. Soil conservation.
  4. The situation in which the use of hold system, most people do, hand weeding or the use of HANDHELD, weed eater, CUTTING MACHINE, and we encourage the incorporating the green matter back into the soil.

While people are theorizing about climate change, small farmers must come up with innovative methods utilizing whatever resources they have at their disposal make a living and what is also doing what good for the climate. Ensuring SMALL PROFITABLE CLIMATE SMART BUSINESS  is a key focus for ECTADCARIBBEAN AND ITS PARTNERS. These practical experiences must be taken into consideration, climate change issues should not be dictated only by academia, but in terms of shaping policy, it is important for us to look at what is working on the ground and creating exciting living standards for farmers by ensuring that we have profitable climate change small farm management techniques available. Let us share other practices that can benefit small farmers,

There are a lot of things that can be looked at, very innovative methods, farmers are using better drainage to ensure and also using the planting of fruit trees as windbreaks and on the hillside. innovation that does not put the farmers at economic risk.  looked at the things that are working and build on them, expanding and getting more information .things that are working can give us the tools to build appropriate climate-smart approach to agriculture which will ensure sustainable profitable small farm business.

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