The workshops on Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture (PICSA) were held in the city of Tarapoto by speakers David Ríos and Patricia Álvarez of the Bioversity International – CIAT Alliance. The workshops were led by Dr. Julio Alegre, coordinator of the PERU-Hub Crop Component. The lecturers trained the facilitators to guide farmers in the management of climate variability and its risks, based on accurate and site-specific climatic and meteorological information. Everything through the use of participatory tools.
The PICSA approach has been designed with the field staff in mind. This training aims to provide the farmer with the support needed to do their job through improved information and resources. PICSA has 3 key components. First, it provides and analyzes weather and climate information with farmers, including historical records and forecasts; second, it analyzes the body of information on crop and livestock options and risks, by field staff and farmers; third, it provides participatory tools that enable farmers to use the information to plan and make decisions, according to their circumstances.
PERU-Hub farmer beneficiaries learned ten steps to a detailed guide on the use of participatory integrated climate services for agriculture (PISCA): First step, asking what the farmer is currently doing, then mapping resource allocation and seasonal calendar; second step, asking what is happening with the climate, where does the historical climate information come from; third step, calculating probabilities of weather and climate characteristics; fourth step, matrix of practical options; fifth step, availability of options by contexts; sixth step, how to prepare a participatory budget; seventh step, farmer decision making, facilitate implementation of farmers’ choices; eighth step, seasonal forecasting and identify potential responses to forecasting; ninth step, short-term forecasting and warnings and identify potential responses to short- and long-term forecasts; tenth and last step, learn from experiences and improve the process; and ninth and last step, learn from experiences and improve the process.
PICSA emphasizes the support provided to farmers with information and tools to make decisions that best suit their individual contexts and objectives.
Dr. Julio Alegre, coordinator of the Crop Component, said that they use the PICSA approach because it combines local climate information and information on crops, livestock species and subsistence means with participatory planning tools that farmers can use to decide on the best farming and livelihood options. He also noted that there is an extensive use of climate information provided by the National Meteorological Services to help farmers analyze risks and opportunities.
David Rios of the Bioversity International – CIAT Alliance, indicated that these workshops will allow farmers to make better decisions for the next production cycle.
Do you want to know more about the activities carried out? Check out the reports in the following link:
