Local Technical Agroclimatic Committees - LTAC
Local Technical Agroclimatic Committees (LTAC) are an innovative way for local stakeholders to be informed about the expected climatic variations in their region, and how these can affect their crops. The LTAC approach allows open and inclusive dialogues about seasonal climate forecasts at multiple timescales, their effects on crops, measures to reduce potential crop losses, and agronomic recommendations to farmers.
LTAC create a unique, novel, and effective mechanism to connect climate information supply with demand.
LTAC allow discussions between stakeholders for the management of local agroclimatic information, in order to identify best practices for adaptation to climatic phenomena, which are then shared with other local technicians and producers through a local Agroclimatic Bulletin. This newsletter summarizes the seasonal predictions and climate forecasts analyzed at the committee, along with recommendations and climate-smart practices by crop type.
Local Technical Agroclimatic Committees-Putting tailored climate information in the hands of farmers
In what context is this tool useful?
These committees are useful where farmers are highly vulnerable to different climatic phenomena that have caused losses in their crops and a reduction in their productivity.
Click here to check the infographic 'Transforming Farmers' Lives In Latin America'
Results achieved
This innovation was developed initially in Colombia, and now has been adopted and adapted for several institutions across Latin America. Currently, the LTAC approach is being implemented in ten countries across the region with 35 LTACs in place, over 266 locals to national institutions involved and 240,000 farmers being able to access agroclimatic information to plan their crops.
An Outcome Harvesting study, published in 2020, identified five areas where positive changes in actions, relationships, policies, and practices have been observed: i) greater confidence in the quality of climate and agroclimatic information at the local level; ii) enhanced knowledge, understanding, and connection of agroclimatic information; iii) democratization of climate knowledge; iv) transformations in agricultural practices, and v) political advocacy and institutional transformation. Over 140 outcomes or changes were verified in these areas.
Contact person
Diana Giraldo - d.giraldo@cgiar.org
Publications
More publications
Funders
CCAFS' work is carried out with the kind support of the CGIAR Trust Fund donors, as well as through bilateral funding agreements.
- Australia ACIAR
- CGIAR Fund Donors
- Denmark DANIDA
- Ireland (Irish Aid)
- Netherlands (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- New Zealand
- Portugal IICT
- Russia (Ministry of Finance)
- The European Union EU
- The Government of Canada through the federal Department of the Environment
- The UK Government (UK Aid)
Partners
Ministries of Agriculture (Colombia, Guatemala, Chile, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Ecuador), Ministries of Environment (e.g. El Salvador), Producers’ associations (e.g. FEDEARROZ, FENALCE, ANACAFE, ASBAMA, CEDRO, among others), Meteorological Service Institutes (e.g. IDEAM, COPECO, INSIVUMEH, DMH, SMN Mexico, ETESA, CONAGUA), academy and research institutions (e.g. IRI, CUNORI, AGROSAVIA, CATIE), Subnational governments (e.g. GOBERNACION DE BOYACA), International cooperation (e.g. FAO, WFP, IFAD, USAID, TNC, HELVETAS).