Article
Smallholders’ adaptations to droughts and climatic variability in southeastern Mexico
Environmental Hazards
(2015)
Abstract
This study explores the temporal and spatial variability and change in rainfall across southeastern Mexico and the mechanisms by which smallholder farmers adapt to this variability, especially droughts. Members of 150 households in 10 communities were interviewed to investigate adaptation strategies among swidden maize smallholders, linked to their perceptions of climate changes. Precipitation data from seven weather stations were analyzed for the 1973–2012 period. Precipitation anomalies were estimated to evaluate the annual and seasonal stability, deficit, or surplus; and linear regressions were used to evaluate trends. Then, these anomalies were linked to variation in reported agricultural practices. Weather station data show a considerable decline in precipitation in most of the study area, coupled with increased drought frequency and an increase in negative anomalies in recent years.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2015
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2015.1058741
Citation Information
Claudia Radel. "Smallholders’ adaptations to droughts and climatic variability in southeastern Mexico" Environmental Hazards Vol. 14 Iss. 4 (2015) p. 271 - 288 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/claudia_radel/46/