Climate vulnerability of coffee production systems in the Cocoyagua area in the department of Copán, Honduras, 2014-2015

Abstract

The research assesses the vulnerability to climate hazards and perturbations of the coffee production systems in a protected area named Cocoyagua, at the department of Copan, Honduras, during the crop season of 2014-2015, depending on the determination of its sensitivity, exposure and adaptive capacity, identifying adaptation strategies and the feasibility of application in the production systems. The research design strategy is non-experimental, using surveying techniques and instruments for the collection of data. The units of analysis are constituted by the coffee farmers´ families and their coffee farms. Due to the relatively small size of the study population, the sample number resulted close to the total population, therefore, was not calculated.

The research adopted a conceptual framework based on the IPCC assessments (2007), in which vulnerability “is a function of the character, magnitude and rate of climate change and variation to which a system is exposed, its sensitivity and its low adaptive capacity”. High exposure and sensitivity, and low adaptive capacity to climate hazards and perturbations indexes were found. Social resources show the most precarious adaptation conditions, adding to their situation, their influence over the other natural, physical, financial and human resources in the zone. In general, estimations indicate a high vulnerability of the coffee production systems in the zone to climate change effects.