Climate change impacts on family farming systems and local adaptation strategies in Chiapas and the Yucatán Peninsula
Peña Castellon, C.M.
Climate change impacts on family farming systems and local adaptation strategies in Chiapas and the Yucatán Peninsula - Mexico : CIMMYT, 2025. - 12 pages
Open Access
Family farming systems in Chiapas and the Yucatán Peninsula form the backbone of rural livelihoods, food security, and biocultural heritage (Gómez Martínez et al., 2019; López-Gómez et al., 2023; Fonteyne et al., 2023). et these systems face increasing pressure from climate variability, including irregular rainfall, prolonged droughts, rising temperatures, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. These changes are already altering production cycles, reducing yields, and increasing the vulnerability of rural households (Ramírez & Arce-Ibarra, 019; INIFAP, 2024). his study was conducted to generate a clearer understanding of how climate change is affecting the region’s key agricultural systems—milpa, apiculture, cattle production, coffee, and the solar maya—drawing on the lived experiences and technical knowledge of producers and other value-chain actors. Through three participatory workshops held in September and October 2025, the study documented local observations of climatic changes, heir received impacts on production, and the strategies communities are currently using or proposing to strengthen the resilience of major agricultural systems. he study pursued three specific objectives: 1.) To identify how climate change is manifesting across different production systems according to local stakeholders. 2.) To assess the impacts of these changes on agricultural productivity, natural resources, and household livelihoods. 3.) To identify concrete entry points for enhancing climate-change adaptation and mitigation at local and territorial levels. he study identified several concrete entry points for strengthening climate-change adaptation and mitigation cross the region. These include agroecological practices, diversification strategies, improved seed and genetic resource management, water harvesting and soil restoration, stronger cooperative structures, and landscape level measures such as reforestation with native species. Together, these areas signal where focused technical assistance, capacity development, and research investments can generate the greatest benefits for producers and their territories. In addition, the findings point to two overarching insights: the growing severity of climate-related pressures on southern Mexico’s agricultural systems, and the substantial body of local adaptive knowledge that can inform the design of climate-resilient interventions at farm, community, and territorial scales.
Text in English
Climate change
Family farming
Farming systems
Chiapas
Yucatan
Climate change impacts on family farming systems and local adaptation strategies in Chiapas and the Yucatán Peninsula - Mexico : CIMMYT, 2025. - 12 pages
Open Access
Family farming systems in Chiapas and the Yucatán Peninsula form the backbone of rural livelihoods, food security, and biocultural heritage (Gómez Martínez et al., 2019; López-Gómez et al., 2023; Fonteyne et al., 2023). et these systems face increasing pressure from climate variability, including irregular rainfall, prolonged droughts, rising temperatures, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. These changes are already altering production cycles, reducing yields, and increasing the vulnerability of rural households (Ramírez & Arce-Ibarra, 019; INIFAP, 2024). his study was conducted to generate a clearer understanding of how climate change is affecting the region’s key agricultural systems—milpa, apiculture, cattle production, coffee, and the solar maya—drawing on the lived experiences and technical knowledge of producers and other value-chain actors. Through three participatory workshops held in September and October 2025, the study documented local observations of climatic changes, heir received impacts on production, and the strategies communities are currently using or proposing to strengthen the resilience of major agricultural systems. he study pursued three specific objectives: 1.) To identify how climate change is manifesting across different production systems according to local stakeholders. 2.) To assess the impacts of these changes on agricultural productivity, natural resources, and household livelihoods. 3.) To identify concrete entry points for enhancing climate-change adaptation and mitigation at local and territorial levels. he study identified several concrete entry points for strengthening climate-change adaptation and mitigation cross the region. These include agroecological practices, diversification strategies, improved seed and genetic resource management, water harvesting and soil restoration, stronger cooperative structures, and landscape level measures such as reforestation with native species. Together, these areas signal where focused technical assistance, capacity development, and research investments can generate the greatest benefits for producers and their territories. In addition, the findings point to two overarching insights: the growing severity of climate-related pressures on southern Mexico’s agricultural systems, and the substantial body of local adaptive knowledge that can inform the design of climate-resilient interventions at farm, community, and territorial scales.
Text in English
Climate change
Family farming
Farming systems
Chiapas
Yucatan