In this Section:

	Background
	Project Overview
	Research Methods
	Status of Project
	References
	Related Links
	Contacts

Research and Products:
Community Vulnerability Assessment

Status of Project

Our research has established important linkages between farmer investment in crop and technology choice and a wider institutional context of crop insurance, agricultural extension assistance, and integrated markets that put a premium on climate information.

Our research also has identified some of the climate information needs of stakeholders. These include (a) climate information downscaled to fine spatial resolution (a few kilometers); (b) an understanding of monsoon variability and the onset of monsoon precipitation; (c) accurate seasonal forecasts at the local and regional levels; (d) an understanding of winter climate variability; (e) information on temperature extremes; and (f) pertinent historical climate information.

During the next year we will complete our investigation of community vulnerabilities and adaptation in the Team Integrated Project area of the White Mountains. The investigations will conclude our study of two additional rural community livelihood types, surface water irrigated agriculture in New Mexico, and forest resource management in Arizona. We will use the results of these and previous studies to further develop the prototype of our GIS-based vulnerability mapping tool for the region and transfer this prototype to an operational setting.