Adaptive practices to reduce environmental vulnerability to drought in livestock production in Concordia, Sinaloa

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this research was to analyze the use of different adaptive practices carried out by cattle producers in the municipality of Concordia, Sinaloa, located in the dry tropics of Mexico, to reduce environmental vulnerability caused by drought.

Design/methodology/approach: An intentional sampling was used to interview 40 cattle producers from the municipality of Concordia, Sinaloa, during the year 2023. Subsequently, four types of producers were characterized through percentile analysis. The nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test and the chi-square test were used for qualitative variables to determine the differences between groups.

Results: The results show that although there are adaptive practices to drought, they are poorly understood (22.4 % of ranchers are aware of them) and underused (26 %). Producers who use these practices the most are those with greater environmental vulnerability to drought (smaller land area, fewer livestock heads, and generally insufficient productive resources). The most frequently used practices were the provision of shade in pastures and the use of forage conservation methods.

Limitations on study/implications: The results were applied to a selected sample and a particular region.

Findings/conclusions: The study found that contrary to the hypothesis, small-scale producers are the ones who make the greatest use of adaptive practices and technologies for livestock production. However, the percentage of livestock farmers who use these adaptive practices is less than 26 %, despite the existence of local institutions that promote their use.