Browsing by Author "Romero, A."

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    Análisis de evaluaciones participativas y socialización en comunidades de Ancoraimes y Umala
    Yana, O.; Yucra, E.; Romero, A.; Contreras, A. (La Paz, Bolivia: Universidad de La Cordillera, 2009)
    The institution leading the production is Universidad de La Cordillera. The PI contact is Dr. Elizabeth Jimenez. Can also contact Corinne Valdivia PI LTRA 4 at University of Missouri Columbia.
  • Andean livelihood strategies and the impact of market and climate shocks: Risks perceptions and coping mechanisms
    Valdivia, Corinne; Marks, L. A.; Gilles, Jere L.; Jiménez, Elizabeth; Romero, A. (2008)
    Andean families pursue their livelihood strategies in an environment of uncertainty shaped by market and climate risks. Production and consumption decisions remain interlinked due to limited, shallow or imperfect markets, especially for credit to protect against negative shocks. Risk perceptions inform decisions, as do insurance mechanisms. Risks are assessed from the point of view of women and men heads of household connecting perceptions and management or coping mechanisms. Perceptions are predicted by the dread the risk produces, the degree of control - knowledge of the risk, and the coping mechanisms. The latter includes the capitals invested - social, economic, cultural, and natural - in providing a buffer or in adaptation strategies. Trusted sources of information and networks are also evaluated to develop a framework for communication of changes in the Altiplano to improve adaptation to change.
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    El impacto de los cambios climáticos y de mercado en comunidades campesinas del Altiplano de la Paz
    Valdivia, Corinne; Jiménez, Elizabeth; Romero, A. (La Paz, Bolivia: Plural Editores, 2007)
    Climate and market shocks impact on the livelihood strategies of families in Altiplano communities. A household survey of 360 families in the Altiplano sheds light how families participate in markets, cope with climate and market shocks, and their feelings of control over these events. Theory proposes that the higher levels of capitals and climate resilient activities will result in a greater sense of control and therefore lower sense of dread. Cluster analysis identified three groups by wealth and life cycle characteristics in each region, as well as clear differences in income, assets, and market production activities between and within regions. Coping strategies in region facing warming and drying trends has focused on loss of assets, such as sales of animals. While in both regions there is diversity of income sources, the major source of diversity in Ancoraimes is crop varieties. While in both regions climatic shocks have had a negative impact on production, this has been experienced in Ancoraimes by 99 to 100 percent of the families, which has implications in terms of coping mechanism that rely on community networks. The other region has also experienced high rates of production shocks, from 71 to 92 percent of household members in each group. Strategies to diversify to climate resilient activities have resulted in increased off farm activities, mostly migration, in the lower income, lower asset region, while the greater assets in livestock, which face a more stable market and ability to withstand climate shocks presents a bifurcated response. Comparison between groups identified in the clusters for each region found no significant differences between groups on climate shock and climate change perceptions, in both regions. The rating on the risk of climate shock hazards at the household level was above 4 in a scale of 1-5 where 4 meant a very high threat and 5 an extreme threat. Umala households ratings were higher for the shocks than for change in climate with an average of 3.79 for the latter, while in Ancoraimes most of the risks were rated from 3.70 to 3.92, with the exception of climate change that was around 4. Overall though, in both regions climate hazard perceptions are high. Market risks are also considered a threat but rated lower than climate. Dread of losing outside networks of support was ranked high by elderly men and women, as well as the change in climate, in Umala, with no differences in Ancoraimes, but higher rates of dread overall do to the significance of this income in their livelihood strategies. Finding to date are consistent with theory, in that the dread, a reflection of the coping or lack of coping mechanisms, is higher in terms of markets for livestock in Umala, and higher in terms of loss of remittances from family members in Ancoraimes. The study finds that coping mechanism are based on individual household strategies, rather than community or institutions.
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    Memoria de socializacion de resultados del impacto del clima y de mercados en comunidades del Municipio de Umala
    Yana, O.; Romero, A. (La Paz, Bolivia: Universidad de La Cordillera, 2008)
    The institution leading the production is Universidad de La Cordillera. The PI contact is Dr. Elizabeth Jimenez. Can also contact Corinne Valdivia PI LTRA 4 at University of Missouri Columbia.
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    Memoria de socialización de resultados impacto del clima y de mercados en comunidades del Municipio de Ancoraimes
    Yana, O.; Romero, A. (La Paz, Bolivia: Universidad de La Cordillera, 2008)
    The institution leading the production is Universidad de La Cordillera. The PI contact is Dr. Elizabeth Jimenez.
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    Potatoes climate and markets in the livelihood strategies of Altiplano communities in Bolivia
    Jiménez, Elizabeth; Valdivia, Corinne; Romero, A. (2008)
    Climate change and market uncertainties are drivers that impact on how families, and members within households, in Altiplano communities devise their livelihood strategies, based on capitals accessed and controlled, and the markets in which they are able to participate. Perceptions of risk, feelings of dread about climate changes, prices for their products, and pests affecting their crops may have an effect on the ability to develop climate resilient strategies. Adapting to Change in the Andes, a research collaboration project in the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM CRSP) is studying how climate and markets, are drivers of change in Altiplano ecosystems, through impacts on the environment and on human social systems. Two working hypotheses inform the research. The first focuses on the system drivers. On the one hand climate change, with increased variability and extreme events, has increased the risks in production and directly on livelihoods and wellbeing. On the other, rural communities in the Altiplano, have faced difficulties with markets for their products due to partial integration, and high transactions costs. The second focuses on agency, and how participatory approaches develop knowledge and skills that increase capabilities and agency to negotiate these risks, and develop strategies that reduce the risks posed by both drivers. For the strategies to be sustainable the natural capital must grow. On of the elements of this capital is the biodiversity of potatoes and other Andean tubers.