Managing weather and climate risks to agriculture in North America, Central America and the Caribbean

Weather and Climate Extremes, October 2015, doi:10.1016/j.wace.2015.10.006:

This paper focuses on the weather and climate aspects of risk and uncertainty in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. It provides an overview of the weather and climate risks to agriculture in the region and identifies the extreme episodic events that most often threaten agriculture. Examples of these extreme episodic events are documented, quantifying impacts on local agriculture.

A discussion of current management and coping strategies then follows, describing how individual farmers manage weather and climate risks in the region. The risk management strategies of Florida citrus farmers are highlighted, providing one example of how farmers have successfully managed weather and climate extremes in the wake of previous damaging events. Despite the recent success of Florida citrus farmers and others in the region, more steps need to be taken to improve farmer capabilities to manage weather and climate risks and uncertainties. Some steps that can be taken are provided in this paper.