Towards an Integrated Agro-Climatic Monitoring: Results and Challenges in Two Central-American Protected Areas

Abstract

Climate change threatens the livelihood of small farmers all around the world, as in Guatemala and Honduras. We used long-term, downscaled climate information to understand the local impacts in two protected areas, the Multiple-Use Reserve of the Atitlán Basin in Guatemala and the National Park Pico Bonito in Honduras. We selected two main crops, conducting in-situ analysis to assess vulnerabilities to climate change. The aim was to elaborate an agro-climatic monitoring, to understand local responses and adaptive capacities, and to elaborate ad-hoc adaptation measures. The results stress the urgency of realizing this monitoring, because climate change effects in the region may be catastrophic, especially in the bordering areas of the Central American Dry Corridor.