Peru: local and inclusive solutions to climate change

Climate change: a daily reality

For many people living in the departments of Huánuco and Loreto, in northern and central Peru, living conditions are precarious. Agriculture and small-scale trade are the main sources of income, particularly in rural areas. However, climate change is disrupting the seasons: temperatures are reaching new highs, the rainy season is starting too early or too late, and floods and mudslides are becoming more frequent. This has numerous consequences for the inhabitants: difficulties in accessing water, food shortages, the spread of disease and an increase in other health risks.

"Here, the climate is tropical with lots of sun and rain. But when it rains too much, the water washes away the minerals from the soil, damaging and killing the plants. In summer, the sun burns the crops, which is a real problem for us," says Joba Dávila Gonzalez, 72, a member of the 13 de Febrero farming community in the department of Loreto.

In response to this situation, HI launched a training and empowerment project for communities in two districts, San Juan Bautista and Amarilis. Women, farmers, children, civil society representatives and elected officials are all learning about climate change and its concrete effects on daily life, and working together to find ways to mitigate and face them.

The key role of women as guardians of change

Even today, the inclusion of women, young people, older people and people with disabilities in climate risk prevention remains too often marginal. Yet these groups have specific needs that must be taken into account and an expertise that can benefit the entire community. Through this project, HI aims to train them and empower them to participate actively in dialogue and decision-making on the subject.

Women are the true guardians of these territories and their resources. They are the ones who preserve water sources, pass on ancestral knowledge, ensure food security and maintain social cohesion within the group. To ensure that this daily work of preservation and transmission is recognised for its true value, HI trains women leaders within communities. In this way, they promote their knowledge and expertise and play a full part in bringing about change.

"Supporting other women in strengthening their skills and autonomy is very rewarding. I am proud to see teenage girls and women learning about the subject and becoming models of resilience for their communities. Seeing women gain confidence, make decisions and feel in control of their own destiny reminds me that climate change cannot be combated through technical measures alone, but also through human connections," says Pilar Guardia, project officer at HI.

Local, nature-based solutions

Together, the project participants are considering local and inclusive solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change. For example, some schools are considering planting fruit and forest trees native to the region or creating vegetable gardens. These measures would create cool islands to combat the intense heat in summer, while improving the quality of life and nutrition of the students.

In Amarilis, communities are also carrying out reforestation activities, planting local plant species on hillsides and near water sources. These new plants will help to limit landslides during the rainy season and preserve water supplies during periods of drought.

Finally, in San Juan Bautista, more and more families are diversifying their crops and planting hedges made up of local forest and fruit trees. In this way, they are reducing deforestation, helping to preserve biodiversity and increasing their income through fruit harvesting.

This inclusive community project will benefit at least 1,600 people in the districts of Amarilis in Huánuco and San Juan Bautista in Loreto, among which students, with or without disabilities, adults with disabilities and civil servants from local and regional administrations and public institutions involved in disaster risk management and the environment.