Indigenous communities and climate-smart research

Due to climate change, a general increase in temperatures is expected, decreasing agricultural productivity. Sustainability and food security are promoted in indigenous Mapuche communities in rural areas of Argentina and Chile.

Context of the story

Climate change especially affects small producers and indigenous communities in fragile environments. To address these challenges, it is crucial to develop and evaluate climate-smart livestock practices that increase productivity and resilience, reduce emissions, and promote sustainability. Integrating ancestral knowledge, particularly from the Mapuche people, with modern technical expertise strengthens the adaptation and sustainability of livestock systems in vulnerable communities in Argentina and Chile.

Collaboration with five indigenous communities belonging to the Mapuche ethnic group in Argentina and Chile, in which we will establish climate-smart innovation units

The implemented initiative

This project aims to improve food viability and resilience in indigenous Mapuche agrarian communities, along with their production systems, addressing expected climate disruptions in the contexts of Argentina and Chile through climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Improving food viability and resilience in indigenous Mapuche agrarian communities

The technological solution

Establish climate-smart innovation units. By the end of the first year, we expect to have a characterization of the predominant indicators in the communities' productive systems, while at the end of the project we anticipate an increase in these indicators in terms of productivity and conservation of natural resources, and a reduction in the intensity of GHG emissions.

Participating countries

Type of project

Agronomic Practices

Results

The project aims to establish and characterize 15 Innovation Units in five Mapuche communities through a participatory process. It will implement climate-adapted livestock practices tailored to each unit, applying and evaluating at least two climate-smart livestock practices per unit to enhance productivity and natural resource management. The project will also measure and quantify the reduction in GHG emission intensity resulting from these practices. Additionally, it will promote knowledge dissemination through outreach materials and exchange events while strengthening an inclusive innovation ecosystem via transdisciplinary team training, community exchanges, and technical internships.