Local-level appraisal of benefits and barriers affecting adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices: Curití, Colombia
Abstract
Although Climate-Smart Agricultural (CSA) practices are expected to boost adaptive capacity, food security and climate change mitigation in resource poor, smallholder farming systems, the barriers that can restrict its uptake are diverse. This study investigated the barriers hindering CSA practice adoption in the Santander department of Colombia as well as farmer perceptions of practice benefits and disadvantages. A questionnaire survey of 30 households in Macaregua village, Curití municipality, in addition to focus group discussions and in-depth, semi-structured interviews revealed that non-adoption was most often a result of insufficient financial capital, water scarcity, lack of technical knowledge or the inappropriateness of the practice for management system or physical environment. Women and men farmers reported essentially equal levels of awareness of CSA practices and similar perceptions as to benefits and disadvantages. The author noted rainwater harvesting/storage, improved crop varieties, composting, conservation tillage, low-cost biodigesters and organic pest control as practices with high potential for further CCAFS investigation and/or on-farm participatory trials.
Citation
Peterson, C.A. Local-level appraisal of benefits and barriers affecting adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices: Curití, Colombia. CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), Copenhagen, Denmark (2014) 36 pp.