Contributions of working equids to community resilience in the dry corridor of Nicaragua

Introduction

The effects of climate change have strike the productivity and food security in the Dry Corridor of Nicaragua, an area highly vulnerable to extreme climate events such as long periods of drought, followed by heavy rains, disturbing the livelihoods of families who depend mostly on working equids for their season-base subsistence agriculture. Working equids, often play a crucial role in the immediate and long-term aftermath of disaster as they also offers opportunities to build more robust livelihoods assets, but the management of animal welfare is not habitually part of the local preparedness, and response plans. This research aims to highlight the role of working equids to people´s resilience in sudden-onset, and low-onset disasters, as well as their welfare needs, acknowledging that equine welfare increases the ability of communities to restore, and upgrade their livelihood.

Materials and methods

Semi-structure interviews took place with 201 equid´s owners, 31 member of the Municipal Disaster Prevention Committees from the Dry Corridor, six focus group were held with 38 people, and the welfare of 249 working equids was assessed using animal-base indicators.

Results

Findings reveal that working equids are important in pre-disaster, response and post-disaster, while transporting water, food, humanitarian aid, and restoring the interconnectivity of communities in the Dry Corridor. Despite their contributions to community resilience, 94% of households acknowledged that their needs are not considered in emergency plans, and 13% of assessed equids are in acceptable welfare conditions.

Discussion/Conclusions

Working equids are key assets for the livelihoods of rural families, especially those expose to climate change, as they can provide independence, protect food security and reduce vulnerability to future disaster events. Yet, their needs are not visible in coping mechanisms, for which it is important to include working equids in welfare initiatives to build more resilient communities.

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