Ecobreves – CUBA: Livestock Raising Adapted to Climate Change

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

HAVANA, Dec 26 2012 (IPS) - A change in forage crops and the search for new sources of water are among the climate change adaptation measures implemented as part of an initiative undertaken by eight cattle farming cooperatives in Camagüey, 534 km from the Cuban capital. “New grass species have been introduced in accordance with the conditions of each particular area, new sites have been identified to drill more wells, and other natural sources of water that have been untapped until now have been incorporated,” said Mayda Álvarez, the gender focal point for the initiative, which is also aimed at promoting gender equity.

These measures have been adopted in an attempt to maintain livestock production in “areas facing extreme drought,” Álvarez, a professor at the University of Camagüey, told Tierramérica. Local farmers who carry on the longstanding tradition of cattle raising in this area of Cuba are currently struggling to confront lengthy dry spells.