I want to know if there is a clear defining line between routine farm management practices and adaptation to climate change. For example, should crop diversification be always seen as an adaptation to climate change even if farmers started diversifying before any evidence of climate change was established?
The answer depends on the farmer. Why did the farmer do what s/he did? If the reason was because they have always done that or they were taught to do that for reasons other than climate change then it is their routine farm management practice. If because of variability in weather, climate, etc., then it is adaption to climate change.
Thanks a lot Sir for the opinion shared. Your point is well noted and very much appreciated.
In complement to the answer given by Edgar Chambers.
Adaptation to climate change can be seen as as a usual property of traditional farming systems especially in areas where the climate used to present a strong between-years variability (mountains, dry areas, etc.). In that view, climate change, i.e. variability, is viewed as a intrinsic character of climate. Some works on the topic where published in the last 3 decades.
Adaptation to climate change is generally addressed now from the point of view of the evolution in climate regime we are experiencing, which calls for the development of new systems and management practices.
This change includes an increased variability in weather conditions between years. From this point of view, systems which proved yet to be efficient in coping with climate variability deserve consideration, and farmer management can be regarded as an adaptation to climate change, even if their practices precede the search for coping with change in climate.
Another point in your question is the assessment of routine and adaptation in farming system structure and management. This issue depends on the approach adopted to FS routine operation and change. If one looks at it using a system approach, they can be distinguished using the 'system operation' and 'system evolution' concepts. In complex adaptive systems(CAS) theories, the first one deals with the usual variability in the system environment (here the 'normal' variability in weather condifions) and the second one with an actual change/evolution in the environment conditions. Adaptation to change can then be viewed as the properties of routine management that are suited to cope with the new regime, or changes in the system structure and operation that support the system survival under its new environment conditions. In practice it can appear difficult to distinguish the one from the other, since CAS are performing continuous adaptation to change in their environment, whatever they are.
Best regards
If you would like me to provide you with some literature on the topics, feel free to ask
In complement to the answer given by Edgar Chambers.
Adaptation to climate change can be seen as as a usual property of traditional farming systems especially in areas where the climate used to present a strong between-years variability (mountains, dry areas, etc.). In that view, climate change, i.e. variability, is viewed as a intrinsic character of climate. Some works on the topic where published in the last 3 decades.
Adaptation to climate change is generally addressed now from the point of view of the evolution in climate regime we are experiencing, which calls for the development of new systems and management practices.
This change includes an increased variability in weather conditions between years. From this point of view, systems which proved yet to be efficient in coping with climate variability deserve consideration, and farmer management can be regarded as an adaptation to climate change, even if their practices precede the search for coping with change in climate.
Another point in your question is the assessment of routine and adaptation in farming system structure and management. This issue depends on the approach adopted to FS routine operation and change. If one looks at it using a system approach, they can be distinguished using the 'system operation' and 'system evolution' concepts. In complex adaptive systems(CAS) theories, the first one deals with the usual variability in the system environment (here the 'normal' variability in weather condifions) and the second one with an actual change/evolution in the environment conditions. Adaptation to change can then be viewed as the properties of routine management that are suited to cope with the new regime, or changes in the system structure and operation that support the system survival under its new environment conditions. In practice it can appear difficult to distinguish the one from the other, since CAS are performing continuous adaptation to change in their environment, whatever they are.
Best regards
If you would like me to provide you with some literature on the topics, feel free to ask
Thanks a lot Dr. Gibon for the opinion shared. Your point is well noted and very much appreciated.
- Badges
- Science topic