Gather information about the basic concepts of climate change

Abstract

It is important to familiarize yourself with basic concepts of climate change and climate change- related terminology (climate change, climate variability, climate hazards, vulnerability, adaptive capacity, resilience, etc.) in the very beginning. This will enable you to make better use of the information you gather later on.

Section 1 “Climate change in the coffee sector” and Section 2 provide relevant background information to answer the following questions:

What is climate change and climate variability?
What causes global warming and what are some of the impacts of climate change?
What are the potential impacts on coffee production?
What do key terms such as climate vulnerability, resilience and adaptive capacity mean?

Method

Desk study and online research on specific websites and information hubs.

Expected Results

Overview of the concept and terminology around climate change and climate variability.

Understanding of the past, current and likely future changes in climate at regional and local levels, and of the possible impacts of these changes.

Practical Guidance

Objective

To capture the perceptions, experiences and observations of site-specific climate change and impact on coffee production.

Expected outputs

An assessment of how relevant climate change is to the local coffee community.

Required time

One or two weeks, depending on the availability of extensionists and number of focus group discussions.

Guiding questions

Have there been any changes in temperature or rainfall patterns over the last years (20 to 30 years)? If there have been changes in the microclimate, how have they affected local coffee production?
What are the main challenges in production? Are they related to changing climate conditions?
Have there been any changes in farming practices that were potentially due to changing climate conditions?
Have you observed crop changes in the last decades?
How do you the see the future of coffee production?

Procedure

Interview farmers and stakeholders who have had a long experience with the local climate and agriculture (over 20 years).
Focus these interviews on three to five main questions and record the answers.
In focus group discussions with farmers, select small groups of five to ten farmers, hopefully with a long productive history in the area (e.g. more than a decade). Group members should preferably be of the same region (and therefore face similar weather conditions).
Direct the discussion towards climate-related perceptions and observations, but also allow time for exploring other topics, as this is just an initial introduction to perceptions, urgency and understandings around the topic of climate change. Be aware that not all changes or negative impacts that they have experienced are related to climate change.
When talking to farmers, it can also be useful to talk in more general terms about climate change and variability rather than referring to climate change throughout the discussion. For example, try talking about how growing seasons have changed in relation to agricultural activities. Try also to avoid leading questions, e.g. “Climate change is a problem in this area, isn’t it?” These approaches will help you avoid having farmers simply tell you what they think you want to hear, and will encourage a more reflective dialogue about environmental change.
Analyze the information provided by the farmers and stakeholders (see Table 21), but remember that not all production problems are related to climate change.
Bear in mind that farmers may have already introduced innovative or adapted farming practices as a result of changing climate conditions. Keep an eye on these farming practices, as they may be appropriate for others in the region as well.

Table:20 Example of climate-related problems and changes from c&c pilot in Tanzania

What are your main challenges in production?	How have things changed over past 20 years?	How do you view the future of coffee farming?
Lack of inputs/expensive inputs/fake inputs Lack of post-harvest tools (mainly pulpers) Pests and diseases Climate: drought, unreliable rains, no specific seasons, more flowerings Low coffee prices/late payments/lack of loans Poor quality seeds Soil testing needed	Used to have cheap (e.g. subsidized) inputs CBD and stem borers have gotten worse Insecticides and fertilizers were better Rainfall was better	There are so many problems – we need help We need to shorten the commodity chain We need more connections to finance Loans are too risky Genuine inputs are needed Coffee has possibilities if we can get help We need to help ourselves more Coffee production can improve
Please note, only the challenges highlighted in bold were mentioned by farmers in this case.