America Nallely Lutz Ley Abstract

America Nallely Lutz Ley Abstract

  

America Nallely Lutz Ley
  Ph.D. Candidate
  Arid Lands Resource Sciences, GIDP

   Annual Meeting of the American Association of Geographers
   Chicago, Illinois
   April 21-25, 2015

ABSTRACT

Professional Abstract

Lay Audience Abstract

 

Abstract:

Northwest Mexico and the Southwest U.S. are projected to experience significantly higher temperatures and more variable precipitation regimes as result of global warming. This context is placing the food and economic security of these populations at risk. Decision-making regarding natural resources for ranching and farming in the arid communities of Northwest Mexico is becoming more complex. There has been a gradual shift to non-agricultural or diversified livelihoods as environmental conditions become more variable. This NSF-supported study examines these issues in Rayón, an agricultural community in the San Miguel river basin in Sonora, Mexico. Intersectionality and feminist political ecology frames are used to analyze decision-making from a gender perspective. This study also includes the oft-neglected issue of age by qualitatively analyzing male and female and male youth’s (ages 15 to 29) decision-making regarding education and current and future employment and apprenticeships. The study builds on recent research by Buechler on dairy farming and cheese production in the context of climate and water challenges in Rayón (Buechler 2015). Through in-depth, focus group and phone interviews with youth, parents, middle and high school staff, employers, and government agency staff, as well as analysis of statistical data, the interaction of several variables is analyzed: 1) gender and age as linked factors affecting livelihood decisions; 2) educational and employment opportunities available in the communities; 3) governmental policies and programs related to agricultural activities and educational opportunities; and 4) environmental change and impacts on water and land resources. The voices of the female and the male youth of various ages are included to help shed light on the various factors involved in their decision making. The findings indicate that a clearer understanding of youth’s decision making can help to bring a clearer vision of the future of agriculture in climate and water-stressed regions. The study also suggests that youth’s ideas regarding new agricultural and linked agriculture-non-agricultural ventures should be better supported by government and other development agencies and that education at the middle and the high school levels needs to be better geared to diversified livelihoods. This would help stem the high rates (especially among young women) of rural to urban migration experienced by this and other agriculture-based towns within the river basin. This study links to, and aims to inform, current initiatives to incorporate youth into climate-related development projects (but which tend to neglect the issues of gender). One example is the FAO’s climate smart agriculture e-discussion group, part of which has focused on youth and climate smart agriculture initiatives being planned by non-governmental organizations; another initiative is the youth forum component of the Global Landscapes Forum to be held in Lima, Peru in early 2015.

References

Buechler, S. March 2015. Climate-Water Challenges and Adaptation Strategies of Women in a Riparian Community in Sonora, Mexico. In: Stephanie Buechler and Anne-Marie Hanson (eds). A Political Ecology of Women, Water and Global Environmental Change. London: Routledge.

 

 

Abstract (For Lay Audience)

 The arid region of northwest Mexico- southwest U.S. is expected to face higher temperatures and more variable precipitation in the future, as a result of global warming. In turn, these changes will pose more challenges for food production and economic wellness of ranching and farming communities in the area. Especially in northwest Mexico, making decisions regarding agricultural and livestock activities is becoming more difficult, because there is uncertainty about the availability of water and other natural resources necessary for these communities now and in the future. Current economically active populations are beginning to feel the effects of global changes and academic research has focused on their strategies for adaptation. However, the perceptions and actions of younger sectors that will be incorporating into the job force in rural communities at the peak of these effects, have not been addressed.

Considering these gaps, this study supported by the National Science Foundation analyzes career and rural livelihoods decision-making by young population. We utilize a perspective that combines age and gender as important factors determining the type of opportunities, barriers, and decisions that women and men in ages between 15 and 29 years old have to face in terms of current and future education and employment in a rural community in the San Miguel watershed, in arid northwest Mexico. To obtain information regarding these issues, we developed in-depth interviews, a group session, and also phone interviews with young people (mostly middle and high school students), parents, staff, potential employers in the community, and government employees. We explore four combined aspects: 1) how gender and age affect livelihood decisions of the youth, 2) what educational and employment opportunities are available in the community, 3) what kind of government policies exist that link agricultural development to educational opportunities, and 4) which are the main environmental changes and their impacts on water and land resources available to sustain rural livelihoods.

The findings bring a clearer vision about the future of agricultural and ranching activities in the rural areas lacking secure water supply. The lack of access to natural resources (such as land plots, and groundwater), as well as the low economic support from family, government, and other sources, play a big role in the type of livelihood decisions of young men and women. The educational opportunities at the local level do not provide qualifications for a diversified livelihood system in the agricultural sector, nor in non-agricultural endeavors. The low capacity of the community to incorporate young men and women in economic activities in general add to the high rates of out-migration (particularly among young women) from the rural to urban settings. At this point it is unclear what would be the long-term outcomes for adaptation to climate change and levels of productivity in the community.