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Posts Tagged: climate
UC ANR project to help underserved farmers in SoCal with land ownership
San Diego County has more than 5,000 small farms but less than 2% are operated or owned by Black, indigenous, or people of color – including those of Asian, Hispanic or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander descent, according to the 2022 Ag Census.
The reasons vary, but historically, multiple marginalized communities of color have not received the same opportunities or support for land ownership or management as their white counterparts.
Chandra Richards, University of California Cooperative Extension land equity academic coordinator for the Southern California region, is identifying barriers to equity when it comes to addressing land access, tenure, management and opportunities to increase the diversity of land managers and land ownership in the region.
Richards is the principal investigator for the Climate Action and Land Equity (CALE) project administered through UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and funded by the Department of Conservation. CALE aims to engage historically underrepresented communities in coalition building, capacity assessment and climate action planning. CALE elevates knowledge about the challenges and opportunities to land access and management for a diversity of land managers.
Among the challenges is land tenure, an established agreement between a landowner and tenant, outlining the purpose and use of the land over a period of time. However, when landowners decide to sell their land, these agreements are at risk of being null and void, forcing the tenants to renegotiate or discontinue their operation.
Land tenure leases for under five years are considered short-term, which are common in Southern California. For small, new and under-resourced farmers, landowner turnover doesn't just threaten their business plan but their livelihood.
For small farmer Byron Nkhoma, who leases land in Ramona to grow leafy greens and vegetables, the possibility of losing land is a constant worry. Since 2015, Nkhoma and his wife, Joyce, have been renting four of 20 acres to establish Hukama Produce. Over nine years, they have had two landowners. Before the land was sold to his current landowner, Nkhoma said he considered buying land, but the process proved more challenging than he thought.
“What it takes for someone like Byron to find a place to farm and establish a food system is an extremely involved process,” said Richards. “It's not just learning how to obtain land, it's also about managing that land so it can be used for years and generations to come.”
Originally from Zimbabwe, Nkhoma is adamant about taking care of the land he leases and has applied knowledge from his home to ensure resilience. Hukama Produce prides itself in improving environmental health through sustainable farming practices such as compost and mulch application, drip irrigation and low till. An important pillar of the CALE project includes building capacity and providing technical assistance toward land conservation and climate resiliency.
In addition to land tenure, money and time are stressors for small farmers. When they are not working on the farm, Nkhoma and his wife are researching and applying for grants to improve their soils and protect their crops from pests. However, many grants for which Hukama Produce is eligible often have pressing deadlines that demand their immediate attention – cutting into valuable time that could be spent tending to the land or selling at farmer's markets.
Two of Hukama's goals include building and sustaining trust in the market and growing their operation. By partnering with Richards, Hukama Produce has direct access to technical assistance focused on grant writing and conservation to increase ecosystem health and build tenure.
Agricultural land tenure is the arrangement, rights, and responsibilities centered around use, management, and ownership of agricultural land and resources. Building land tenure means that farmers have a stable place to grow their crops and build environmental sustainability without risk of having to move their operations.
While the CALE project boosts support for historically underserved community members hoping to own or manage land, it prioritizes land use for food production as a reinvestment into the greater community.
Eager to bring realities like Nhkoma's to light, Richards partnered with Keith Nathaniel, UCCE director for Los Angeles County, who co-coordinated the Western Extension Leadership Development conference held in San Diego the week of Sept. 23-27. WELD unites Cooperative Extension faculty, agents, advisors, educators and specialists from the western region of the United States for a two-year leadership development program.
While in San Diego, WELD participants joined Richards for a tour of Hukama Produce and learned directly from Nkhoma about opportunities and threats as a small farmer. The tour ended with participants in a circle, sharing how their professional roles can offer support to Hukama Produce and other small farms.
“We grow food so that we can feed the community,” said Nkhoma. “When we feed others, we build relationships. That's what ‘hukama' means – to grow relationships.”
If you operate or know of a small farm in Southern California and would like to be involved with or receive regular updates about the CALE project, please contact Chandra Richards at cmrichards@ucanr.edu.
If you are interested in applying for the Land Equity Project Manager position, please visit https://ucanr.edu/About/Jobs/?jobnum=2894 for details.
White House Summit explores impact of extreme heat, ways to adapt
UC ANR Small Farms Network supports small-scale and underserved farmers impacted by extreme heat
Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, interim director for the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, joined more than 100 participants from across the country at the first-ever White House Summit on Extreme Heat. Community representatives and practitioners met with federal agency representatives and Biden Administration officials to discuss successful locally tailored, community-driven practices to adapt to extreme heat as well as available federal resources.
In the agricultural sector, extreme heat events can cause heat illness in farmworkers, crop losses and changes in pest pressure. California crop losses due to drought, wildfire and heat were estimated at $239 million in 2023.
Disaster relief funds are available to help growers recover from lost production due to extreme heat. Since 2021, the UC ANR Small Farms Network has connected small-scale farmers with over $5.8 million in direct-to-producer relief funds for losses related to drought, flooding and other extreme weather events.
To further support small-scale farmers in adapting to the changing climate, Dahlquist-Willard and the Small Farms Network are evaluating how the extreme heat of summer 2024 impacted farmers. Farmers reported anecdotal observations that included:
- Shifting work hours to cooler parts of the day
- Closing farm stands and farmers markets due to extreme heat
- Crops ripening more quickly than expected, impacting harvesting and packing schedules
- Poor fruit set due to extremely high temperatures
The team is working to determine what damage symptoms on small-acreage California specialty crops can be attributed to extreme heat based on scientific literature and assessments from UC ANR colleagues. Understanding the impact of extreme heat on the farming community can help inform research and policy, ultimately equipping farmers with strategies to adapt to extreme heat events.
“It was inspiring to meet with leaders from around the nation who are working to support communities impacted by extreme heat and learn about the creative solutions they are implementing,” said Dahlquist-Willard. “The challenges faced by these communities make it all the more important to continue to work against climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as to develop new methods and resources to mitigate the effects of extreme heat and other climate impacts.”
The Extreme Heat Summit highlighted the Biden-Harris Administration's investments in climate reliance and put forth an Extreme Heat Call to Action calling upon public and private sectors to prepare for future extreme heat events. Communities and governments interested in participating are asked to use all available tools to protect people from extreme heat. Approaches and tools which could be used to protect people and resources from extreme heat are highlighted in the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit and the National Heat Strategy. Submissions for the Call to Action will be accepted through Nov. 1, 2024.
Further reading:
Heat Illness Prevention, UC Davis Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety
Pathak et al., 2018. Climate Change Trends and Impacts on California Agriculture: A Detailed Review
UC's New Climate Action Goals: Frequently Asked Questions
UC ANR Climate Notification
Dear UC ANR Community,
As we begin the 2024-2025 year, I want to reaffirm our UC ANR Principles of Community and ensure that all members of our community understand both the rights and the responsibilities of free expression in the UC ANR context.
This year we expect the continuation of active discourse on various issues impacting our communities, nation and world. There are many avenues for academics and staff to advocate for their personal views within their communities. We actively encourage members of our UC ANR community to make your voices heard on issues that matter to you.
To ensure that everyone within the UC ANR community can express their perspectives while engaging fully in their learning, teaching, work, and research, UC ANR must also take action to protect our community from harassment or threats, impediments to access to buildings, and from violence of any kind. UC ANR complies with UC, state and federal policies that provide safeguards for state and federally protected identities and ensure safe and timely and full access to our facilities for all.
The California Legislature requests the University of California system to maintain consistency of implementation and enforcement of these policies. We are supportive of this request as it undergirds our principles of community and values and will help support a healthy, thriving climate for all members of our UC ANR community.
It is important to understand the rules, regulations, and resources that exist to achieve these goals. Please review the UC ANR Climate website for detailed information on policies, procedures, and resources related to freedom of expression and supporting a safe and inclusive environment for all members of the UC ANR community. A pdf of this letter on letterhead is attached.
We look forward to a productive, vibrant and welcoming year in our UC ANR communities.
Glenda Humiston, Vice President
Elizabeth Moon, Director of Workplace & Inclusion
ANR Climate Notification.ltr FINAL
Bumble Bees: Feeling Impact of Climate Change
We remember the reaction of Robbin Thorp (1933-2019), UC Davis distinguished emeritus professor of entomology and an international authority on bumble bees, when he spotted a lone Western bumble bee, Bombus occidentalis, on Aug. 15,...
UC Davis research shows that rising temperatures are particularly alarming to some bumble bee species, including the Western bumble bee, Bombus occidentalis. This one was located on Aug. 15, 2012 in the Mt. Shasta area. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
UC Davis researchers found that one of "the winners" in their climate change study is the yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, shown here heading for a California golden poppy. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A male bumble bee, Bombus bifarius, nectaring on coastal goldfield, Lasthenia minor, at Bodega Bay. A UC Davis study shows that the rising temperatures are particularly alarming to a number of species, including this one. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Updates on UC campus climate efforts
Dear UC community,
As the 2024-25 academic year begins on our campuses over the next few days and weeks, I want to share a few updates about our work this summer to ensure a safe, inclusive campus climate that fosters a free exchange of ideas across the University of California.
Freedom to express diverse viewpoints is fundamental to the mission of the University, and lawful protests play a pivotal role in that process. The Free Speech Movement was born at the University of California. We are proud to uphold that tradition today. We make every effort to nurture free expression, and we provide countless opportunities and venues for our students, faculty, other academic appointees, and staff to safely and lawfully share their diverse viewpoints and beliefs. While the vast majority of protests held on our campuses are peaceful and nonviolent, some of the activities we saw this past year were not.
My office and campus leaders have spent the summer reflecting with students, faculty, staff, Regents, and others on the events of the past year. We have sought to identify ways we can strengthen and clarify our policies and procedures together. Clear communication and consistent application of policies and laws are key to achieving the delicate but essential balance between free speech rights and the need to protect the safety of our community and maintain critical University operations.
With these goals in mind, we will take several steps to facilitate more consistency across our locations, including:
- Clarifying and reinforcing requirements for policies impacting expressive activities, including policies that prohibit camping or encampments, unauthorized structures, restrictions on free movement, masking to conceal identity, and refusing to reveal one's identity when asked to do so by University personnel;
- Developing a framework for consistent implementation of our policies and for consistent responses to policy violations;
- Issuing guidance for notifications about campus climate resources and policies, in response to the California State Budget Bill; and
- Launching a UC Campus Climate Initiative to help all UC locations develop campus climate action plans for fall 2024 and beyond.
Some of this work has already begun, and you will hear more about it from your campus leadership in the coming weeks. Our ultimate goal is for all of our community members to feel supported in their ability to express themselves, and to pursue their studies, research, patient care, and other work on our campuses. We also want our community members to understand what's expected of them, including a clear understanding of the principles, policies, and laws that govern our behavior on campus.
We appreciate the input we've received from our students, faculty, and staff representatives and many others on these issues – it has informed our approach and will help us achieve an even more inclusive, engaged, and productive UC community. Thank you in advance for your participation in this effort, and we wish you an outstanding academic year.
Sincerely,
Michael V. Drake, M.D.
President, University of California
