Southwest China’s Yunnan province has been affected throughout history by climate-induced water stresses, with the 2009 drought as a recent example. To deal with such stresses, mountain farmers have developed many local coping strategies. This paper provides case studies of these coping mechanisms in three mountain communities in Baoshan Municipality, Yunnan province. To minimize water-related environmental and economic vulnerabilities, our results show that upland farmers employ strategies both individually and collectively, which vary according to agroecological zone, economics, and historical period. Climate change is also emerging as an ongoing environmental challenge. We explore China’s options for introducing and implementing adaptation policies that link with farmer strategies to respond more effectively to water stresses induced by climate change and other forces.

Authors: Su,Y.; Xu, J.; Wilkes, A.; Lu, J.; Li, Q.; Fu, Y.; Ma, X.; Grumbine, R.E.

Subjects: climate change

Publication type: ISI, Journal Article, Publication

Year: 2012

ISSN: 1436-3798

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-012-0304-7