Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture (PICSA): Climate services for farmers in Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract

Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture (PICSA) is an agricultural extension and climate services approach that supports farmers in making plans and decisions tailored to each farmer’s own ‘context’ in their production systems. It is implemented by facilitators (e.g., extension officers, non-governmental organisation field staff, community volunteers and researchers) through a series of meetings with groups of farmers. Rather than focusing on the delivery of information, PICSA integrates information with decision- making tools: resource allocation maps, agroclimatic calendars, crop, livestock and livelihood option matrices and participatory budgets.