Potential Adaptations to Climate Change for Island farmers

Dr David C. Smith & Dr Kevon Rhiney,University of the West Indies

Likely Effects of Climate Change for SIDS Changed Rainfall patterns

Extended Drought Heavy rainfall and floods

Changed patterns of severe weather particularly cyclones Caribbean: Stronger, Fewer, Wetter

Sea Level Rise Increased Salinity of groundwater, soils

and coastal areas, floods.

Likely Impacts: Caribbean

Significant losses (7-12%) under climate change scenarios for sugarcane, banana, cassava, yam, sweet potato & tomato by 2050 (ECLAC 2013) 33% loss for banana/plantain, 28% for tomato

Rhiney (2013) indicates that in Jamaica the zones suitable for growing many crops will change and be reduced in extent by 2050

Farmers he interviewed indicated they saw less rain and longer droughts

Adaptation Strategies Water Management and Efficiency

Harvesting and collection On farm use, e.g. drip irrigation, solar pumps

Resistant Varieties & Biodiversity of ag species Drought Salinity

Cultural options Intensive vs. extensive, high tunnel houses, crop

diversity Organic Farming Post harvest care & management

ECLAC’s 10 options for CC Adaptation Food storage Water saving

irrigation systems Water

Conservation rooftop collection

Holistic water management plans

Early warning systems and Disaster management plans

Improve soil conservation

On-farm water storage

Develop and use drought resistant crop varieties

Mainstream Use protected

agricultural structures

Top five in terms of benefit (ECLAC)

Strategy Benefit: Cost Ratio

On-farm Ponds or water tanks 196

Early Warning Systems 81

Mainstreaming CC into policy 44

Drought resistant varieties 41

Food storage 15

Green Houses /HTH Rank 7th or 10th

Water Harvesting (GWP)

Impact of Hurricane Ivan was reduced where rainwater harvesting was established (Peters 2010)

GWP/CEHI use a system with “first flush” diversion

Communities in T&T and demos in 3 other countries

http://www.cehi.org.lc/Rain/Rainwater%20Harvesting%20Toolbox/index.htm

www.gwp-caribbean.org

Demo for RWH with 1st flush diversion (GWP-C)

Solar water pumping system

Source: Simpson 2012

High Tunnel Houses

Photos from GEF Small Grants Programme Jamaica http://sgp.undp.org/index.php?option=com_sgpprojects&view=projectdetail&id=9620&Itemid=205

Requirements / Next steps Data need to inform decisions

Weather and climate Economic Cultural and Social

Producing data to model the effects of CC on various crops & testing varieties in the field for adaptability and resilience (Rhiney 2013)

Education on water management options e.g. RWH

Useful Links

Caribbean Climate Online Risk & Adaptation Tool http://ccoral.caribbeanclimate.bz/

Global Water Partnership Caribbean & Toolbox www.gwp-caribbean.org http://www.cehi.org.lc/Rain/Rainwater%2

0Harvesting%20Toolbox/index.htm

ECLAC 2013 study http://www.eclac.org/portofspain/noticias/documentosdetrabajo/5/49705/Agriculture.pdf

References Hutchinson, S. et.al, (2013). An assessment of the

economic and social impacts of climate change on the agriculture sector in the Caribbean. UN ECLAC 87pp.

Peters, E.J. (2010) Impact of Hurricane Ivan on Grenada water supply Proceedings of the ICE - Water Management, 163, pp57 –64.

Rhiney K., Campbell, D., & Barker, D. (2013) Promoting Marketing Competitiveness & Adaption to Climate Change among Smallholder Farmers in Jamaica. ACDI/VOCA, Kingston, Jamaica.

Williams, N. & Thomas, K. (2012) Sustainable Water Resources in the Caribbean: Prospects and Challenges Water Resources Impact 14 5 pp19-21