Case-study /

Climate change implications to food security and livelihood of small scale farmers

Rice farming

Adaptation challenge

  • For small-scale, subsistence farmers in Lao PDR, climate risks pose a significant threat to food security as crop losses can occur during the mid-year dry spell and the late-season rainfall and floods.
  • Projected temperature and rainfall in the years 2020, 2050 and 2080 would be statistically different from the 2012 level in Luang Prabang and Savannakhet provinces.
  • In Luang Prabang, rice yield is expected to generally increase across ecozones and time periods while in Savannakhet, rice yield is also expected to significantly increase across ecozones in the dry season but significantly decrease in the wet season.
  • Climate adaptation is a challenge for farmers who mostly have low educational attainment, limited source of livelihood, low rice productivity, and reside in areas that are highly exposed to climate risks.
  • Local governments should also have the capacity to formulate and carry- out adaptation policies and programs to augment people’s initiatives and provide adaptation options to improve farmers’ resilience and adaptive capacity.

Expected outputs

This study general aimed to determine the impacts of changing climate on rice production, availability and accessibility that can guide local policy actions towards climate compatible development. Specifically, it aimed to: a) determine climate change trends and define possible climate change scenarios at the local level; b) assess the potential impacts of climate change on rice production, marketing and distribution under different scenarios; c) analyze the current adaptation strategies and adaptive capacity of households and institutions; d) determine the alternative adaptation and policy options that have been and can be instituted to protect food security and the livelihoods of small scale farmers; and e) recommend policy actions that could enhance adaptive capacity, food security and access to livelihood opportunities to mitigate climate change impacts.

Timescale of project

2012-2013

Scope

Laos

Focal point

Dr. Outhai Soukkhy Deputy Director Northern Agriculture and Forestry College, Lao PDR Email: outhainafc@yahoo.com

Partners

Linda M. Peñalba, Dulce D. Elazegui, Outhai Soukkhy, Mayo Grace C. Amit, Francis John F. Faderogao

University of the Philippines Los Banos, Northern Agricultural and Forestry College (Lao PDR)

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