Thirty Years of Multilevel Processes for Adaptation of Livestock Production to Droughts in Uruguay

Abstract

Most countries lack effective policies to manage climate risks, despite growing concerns with climate change. The authors analyzed the policy evolution from a disaster management to a risk management approach, using as a case study four agricultural droughts that impacted Uruguay’s livestock sector in the last three decades. A transdisciplinary team of researchers, extension workers, and policy makers agreed on a common conceptual framework for the interpretation of past droughts and policies. The evidence presented shows that the set of actions implemented at different levels when facing droughts were mainly reactive in the past but later evolved to a more integral risk management approach. A greater interinstitutional integration and a decreasing gap between science and policy were identified during the period of study. Social and political learning enabled a vision of proactive management and promoted effective adaptive measures. While the government of Uruguay explicitly incorporated the issue of adaptation to climate change into its agenda, research institutions also fostered the creation of interdisciplinary study groups on this topic, resulting in new stages of learning. The recent changes in public policies, institutional governance, and academic research have contributed to enhance the adaptive capacity of the agricultural sector to climate variability, and in particular to drought. This study confirms the relevance of and need to work within a transdisciplinary framework to effectively address the different social learning dimensions, particularly those concerning the adaptation to global change.

Grazing management for more resilient mixed livestock farming systems on native grasslands of southern South America

“…Our field observations confirm that weather forecasts and early warning systems provide farmers with relevant information needed to face an upcoming drought and to make mediating decisions (Ahmed et al, ; Bestelmeyer & Briske, ; Cruz et al, ), and our experiment suggests that the pre‐drought status of the herbage mass/height should be taken into account. According to our results, an increase of one cm in herbage height reduces the impact of drought on herbage accumulation rate by 20% (Figure ).…”

“…Droughts are perceived by contemporary farmers as one of the most important shocks stressing their production systems (FAO, ). They force farmers to sell cattle at a low price, resulting in economic loss, or may cause the death of animals (Cruz et al, ), resulting in more serious economic loss. In response, it was proposed that a resilience‐oriented approach may assist contemporary farmers to address the threats of droughts through development of a knowledge system that employs ecological models and science to improve on‐farm management (Bestelmeyer & Briske, ).…”

Exploring landowners' perceptions, motivations and needs for voluntary conservation in a cultural landscape

“…In addition, since people are increasingly leaving the rural area, strengthening already existing local participation platforms (e.g. Rural Development Boards where landowners meet to discuss about local problems; Cruz et al, 2018) Modernel et al, 2019). In addition, financial incentives, such as cost-share programmes, can provide landowners with economic support to cover part of the costs of implementing conservation actions on their lands (Casey et al, 2006).…”

Drought vulnerability assessment of cattle producers in the Sierras del Este-Uruguay: Interactions between actors and agents

“…Considering the grasslands productivity and variability in these systems, the absence of adaptation practices has prevailed (Díaz et al, 2017). Although, in the last years there have been promotions to increase the adaptation to drought in political, scientific-academic and at the producer level (Cruz et al, 2018), there is still a long way to go. In agreement with Cruz et al (2018) the study of adaptive or informal networks will strengthen the process developed to increase adaptation to droughts, mainly because it is a privileged place for the development of innovations.…”

“…Although, in the last years there have been promotions to increase the adaptation to drought in political, scientific-academic and at the producer level (Cruz et al, 2018), there is still a long way to go. In agreement with Cruz et al (2018) the study of adaptive or informal networks will strengthen the process developed to increase adaptation to droughts, mainly because it is a privileged place for the development of innovations. Producer interrelationships are also variable, often consisting of regulated interactions that lead to both formal (e.g.…”