Drought preparedness contributes to protecting the children of highland communities in Junín and Huancavelica

• Save the Children’s intervention, in partnership with Descocentro, enabled communities to develop risk plans, agricultural calendars, and receive training on anticipatory actions.
• Through various activities, over 3,000 people were reached, including more than 1,000 children and adolescents.

Due to the effects of the climate crisis, droughts in Junín and Huancavelica have increased in frequency and severity, a reality that impacts the crops and livestock farming in the highland areas. In this context, thanks to an intervention by Save the Children, 8 communities in these regions have become better prepared to respond to these extreme weather events, thus protecting the most vulnerable children.

Between 2019 and 2022, there were 674 drought-related emergencies nationwide, resulting in more than 551,000 affected animals and 25,000 animal deaths, along with 67,000 hectares of affected crops and 36,333 hectares lost. These figures highlight the importance of preparing communities for these phenomena.”

In this context, Save the Children, in partnership with Descocentro, promoted the formation of 8 anticipatory action committees in an equal number of communities. Each of these committees developed their own risk maps and agricultural calendars with the aim of identifying threats and safeguarding their activities and livelihoods against potential droughts.

Furthermore, 802 humanitarian aid kits were distributed in both regions. These deliveries included biostimulants and foliar fertilizers to enhance crop conditions, pharmaceutical veterinary inputs, and zootechnical supplies to reduce the vulnerability of mixed herds, modules for biofertilizer production, and modules for forage production to feed livestock during periods of pasture scarcity.

These climatic events will continue to occur, and their impact will become increasingly severe. Now, these 8 communities are better prepared to respond to droughts. By taking care of our families, we are safeguarding the well-being of our children, who are the present and future of our communities”, stated Diana Orellana, Senior Officer at Save the Children.

Among these activities, which were part of the “Anticipatory Actions for Droughts Project in Junín and Huancavelica,” training was also provided to 94 officials and key actors in agroclimatic risks and the use of the Agroclimatic Information System (SIA), in partnership with the National Meteorology and Hydrology Service of Peru (SENAMHI). This tool can provide agroclimatic impact forecasts three months in advance, allowing for preventive measures to be taken to mitigate damages to agricultural activities.

The various activities of this project reached a total of 3,274 people, including over 1,000 children and adolescents.

DATO

• In August 2023, the closing activity of the “Anticipatory Actions for Droughts Project in Junín and Huancavelica” was held, with the participation of community representatives from both regions, local and regional authorities, and Desconcentro personnel.

TESTIMONIALS

“From my position, I have the task of monitoring various emergencies in the region. This intervention has helped make the information flow smoother concerning these emergencies. It has contributed to a lot of coordination and collaboration with the communities, so they can implement preventive actions”.

Tomás Hernández, Coordinator of the Regional Emergency Operations Center in Huancavelica

“These types of projects are quite new at the national and regional level in Huancavelica and Junín. The work carried out by the 8 communities is important because it lays the groundwork for other communities to replicate this experience at the national and regional level. This is significant given the context, as droughts are intensifying”.

Harry Tueros, Head of the Territorial Office of Descocentro in Huancavelica

“My district benefited from this project, which is a model, a beginning. It’s time to work on and strengthen the capacities of the communities because we will face even worse times due to the climate. These communities are pioneers.”

Juan Zárate Gabino, Mayor of the District Municipality of Masma Chicche, Junín