Impacts of climate change on agricultural production and adaptation measures under the perception of actors and rural producers in Nova Friburgo, RJ

Abstract:

Agriculture is one of the most vulnerable sectors to climate change due to its intrinsic dependence on climatic factors and natural resources, especially family farmers. The impacts of climate change can be minimized through adaptation measures adopted, which must be appropriate to the context of the region. The aim is to identify the perception of producers and rural actors on the impacts of climate change on agricultural production, as well as the adaptation measures adopted, analyzing also the relationship between the perception of producers and rural actors and the climate and agricultural production data of the municipality of Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro. Data results from interviews applied to producers and rural actors in Nova Friburgo and in secondary data base (municipal agricultural production and meteorological historical data); they were related to identify interviewees’ perception regarding climate change impacts and adaptation measures adopted. Most rural actors and conventional and organic producers perceive the impacts of climate change on agricultural production; however, they did not identify precisely the year when the impact occurred. The adopted incremental adaptations predominate and coincide with what is described in the scientific literature.

Keywords:
extreme weather events; incremental; transformational; ecosystem-based adaptation