Model of an agricultural observatory for climate change in the northern department of Santander, Colombia

Abstract

The impacts of climate change on the agricultural sector require the implementation of technical tools for recording, systematizing, managing and disseminating information among the social actors involved. The Model of the Agricultural Observatory for Climate Change in the Department of Norte de Santander (OACC), Colombia), carried out between 2019 and 2020, aims to monitor the behaviour of the sector in the face of the impacts of climate change in three study stations: plain (220 masl), mountain (1.051 masl) and moor (2.400 masl). The design of the Model involved the development of the following phases: a) Characterization of the potential agricultural areas for the installation of the OACC in the department; b) Determination with the agricultural social actors of the region of the relevance, location and characteristics of the OACC; c) Design of the Observatory model; d) Analysis of the technical feasibility of the OACC model; e) Study of the financial sustainability of the OACC and; f) Validation of the model with experts in the environmental, agricultural and social areas. The Observatory will use information from public and private institutions and those derived directly from the 3 study stations to generate environmental, economic, productive and social indicators, as contextualized and relevant inputs for the formulation of policies, plans and programs for socio-economic development, education, research, risk management and information for social actors of the entity.