Factors Influencing Smallholder Farmers' Climate Change Perceptions: A Study from Farmers in Ethiopia

What drives farmers' behavior under climate change? Decoding risk awareness, perceived impacts, and adaptive capacity in northern Italy

Understanding climate change in a precise and timely manner may assist in gauging the occurrence and seriousness of its impacts, thereby boosting the adaptive capacity and responsiveness of farmers. This investigation looks into farmers' knowledge of climate change, their perception of risks and impacts, and the strategies they anticipate to tackle the challenges of adaptation. A well-structured online survey covering risk awareness, perception, and adaptation was used to randomly sample 460 respondents from 12 irrigation districts in northern Italy. Descriptive and multivariate statistics, including structural equation modeling, were employed to outline the profiles of farmers, explore the drivers shaping their behavior, and disentangle the magnitude and direction underpinning their adaptive capacity. Findings revealed that farmers recognize changes in climate and perceive its variability and effects, such as rising temperatures, extreme heat events, and irregular precipitation. Farmers blend adaptive measures, including climate services and insurance, with preventive mechanisms like reducing fertilizer use, rotating and diversifying crops, and introducing soil conservation techniques. However, they encounter obstacles such as poor government assistance, expensive investments and overlay intricate regulations. Regarding decision-making processes, the structural model demonstrated that 1) recognizing climate change can sensibly predict alterations in farmers' behavior concerning climate impacts while 2) there is a lack of correlation between perceiving risks and implementing risk adaptation measures. Interestingly, factors such as farming experience, farm size, area under irrigation, and primary crop type significantly influence how risks are perceived and what measures are adopted. In light of these results, we offer guidance for upcoming research.

From climate perceptions to actions: A case study on coffee farms in Ethiopia

Increasing temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns have major consequences for smallholder farmers, especially in the Global South. Our study examined spatial patterns and climatic drivers of farmers' perceptions of climate change, and how these perceptions translated into adaptation actions. We interviewed 56 farmers in southwestern Ethiopia and analyzed ERA5-Land reanalysis climate data from 1971 to 2020. The majority of farmers perceived the recorded temperature increase as well as a decrease and shift in the timing of rainfall. Perceived climate change varied with local climate factors and not with the rate of climate change itself. Farmers' adaptation practices showed associations with local temperature, but not with farmers' perceptions of climate change. Our findings highlight that even if farmers perceive climate change, perceptions are most common in areas where climate action is already urgent, and perceptions may not translate into adaptation. Thus, targeted and timely information and extension programs are crucial.

The relationship between climate change, globalization and non-communicable diseases in Africa: A systematic review

Climate change and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are considered the 21st Century's major health and development challenges. Both pose a disproportionate burden on low- and middle-income countries that are unprepared to cope with their synergistic effects. These two challenges pose risks for achieving many of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and are both impacted by globalization through different pathways. While there are important insights on how climate change and or globalization impact NCDs in the general literature, comprehensive research that explores the influence of climate change and or globalization on NCDs is limited, particularly in the context of Africa. This review documents the pathways through which climate change and or globalization influence NCDs in Africa. We conducted a comprehensive literature search in eight electronic databases-Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Global Health Library, Science Direct, Medline, ProQuest, and Google Scholar. A total of 13864 studies were identified. Studies that were identified from more than one of the databases were automatically removed as duplicates (n = 9649). Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a total of 27 studies were eventually included in the final review. We found that the impacts of climate change and or globalization on NCDs act through three potential pathways: reduction in food production and nutrition, urbanization and transformation of food systems. Our review contributes to the existing literature by providing insights into the impact of climate change and or globalization on human health. We believe that our findings will help enlighten policy makers working on these pathways to facilitate the development of effective policy and public health interventions to mitigate the effects of climate change and globalization on the rising burden of NCDs and goal 3 of the SDG, in particular.

Space-time perception and behavioral response of farmers to climate change: Evidence from Sichuan Province, China

It is of great significance for global environmental governance to guide farmers to effectively perceive climate change. Based on the survey data of 540 farmers in Sichuan Province, China, this study used binary Logit model and Multinomial Logistic Regression model to explore the effects of farmers’ space-time perception of climate change and their interaction effects on farmers’ adaptation behavior to climate change. The results showed that: (1) 88.51% of farmers took adaptation measures to climate change, and 61.11% of them took both passive and active adaptation measures. Among the 7 measures, the highest rate of “Increase irrigation” is 23%, and the lowest rate of “Migrant work” is only 5%. (2) The scale difference of farmers’ time perception of climate change has a significant positive impact on their adaptive behavior of climate change. In terms of time: climate change perception in the next 5 years > in the next 10 years > in the next 15 years. (3) The scale difference of farmers’ space perception of climate change has a significant positive impact on their adaptation behavior to climate change. In other words, spatially, farmers’ perception of climate change is global > national > local village (the perception of local province is not significant). (4) Farmers’ space-time perception of climate change significantly affects farmers’ adaptive behavior. Among them, “farmers’ perception of climate change in the next 5 years” and their own “village’s perception of climate change” play an important role. This study will help deepen the understanding of farmers’ perception of climate change and their adaptive behavior, and provide reference for national policy making.

A review of gender in agricultural and pastoral livelihoods based on selected countries in west and east Africa

This scoping paper presents the results of a review of the landscape of research on gender and agricultural and pastoral livelihoods in select countries in west and east Africa (Burkina Faso, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and Uganda) published over 5 years (January 2016–March 2021). A keyword search of the Scopus database gave rise to an ultimate dataset of 169 papers which were coded for geographical location, approaches to gender, and theme based on inductive identification of clusters of research. There has been an increase in the number of published papers but there is an uneven geographical distribution of research. Studies vary in the way they treat gender: with an almost even split between modeling-based studies, where gender is one of many variables to be correlated with, or to determine, an outcome (e.g., poverty—for example, as a dummy variable in regressions); and studies where the expressed aim is to look at gender differences, whether through the gender of an individual or the gender of a household head. Clusters of papers look at gender differences in assets, health, perceptions of environmental degradation, agricultural perceptions and outcomes, and climate change perceptions, vulnerability, and adaptation. There is also a number of papers exploring women's empowerment, including intra-household decision making. Intersectional approaches have been employed both through modeling studies and through more in-depth qualitative studies that are able to trace changes in identity over time, and the implications therein. The household and household headship have remained common entry points and units of analysis, despite known critiques. The results highlight a need to address geographical gaps in gender research, expand the evidence base of intersectional approaches, explore other aspects of social inequality, and expand more innovative methodological studies.

Analyzing farm households' perception and choice of adaptation strategies towards climate change impacts: a case study of vulnerable households in an emerging Asian region

Poor agricultural communities are particularly more disruptive to changes in climate. In southeast Asian countries, Pakistan is extremely vulnerable to weather-related events including droughts and floods. This research study aims to determine the farmers' perception towards climatic risks, farmers' choice of adaptation strategies and factors influencing farmers' decision of adaptation measures. A face-to-face household survey was conducted to collect primary data of 378 farm households from three tehsils of district Charsadda-Khyber Pakhuntkhwa (KP) province of Pakistan. A structured questionnaire was utilized as an instrument to collect data from the targeted farmers in study areas (three tehsils of district Charsadda). A binary probit model approach was used to assess the major factors affecting farmers' decision towards adaptation measures. Results revealed that changing crop varieties, diversification of crops, changing crop calendar, and insurance of crops were the major adaptive measures exercised by farm households in their farms. Findings of the binary probit approach showed that age of the respondents, farm size, educational level, credit access, household size, extension services access and perception of increased floods, and reduction in precipitation had substantial effect on the farmers' adaptation strategies choice. Advanced agricultural practices in response to the climatic risks can thus have substantial effects and reduction in farmers' exposure to natural calamities. Study findings of our research can guide policy makers and concerned authorities and provide policy implications for future research studies.

Socio-Economic Factors and Water Footprint in Smallholder Irrigation Schemes in Zimbabwe

Despite the need to grow crops with low water consumption needs, given the increasing water stress across many regions of the globe, assessments of crop water footprint (WFP) values have not received significant research attention in Zimbabwe. This unique study is the first of its kind to assess the mediation effect between socio-economic factors and crop WFP among smallholder irrigation schemes in Zimbabwe. A total of 317 farmers from three schemes in Midlands Province in Zimbabwe participated in this study. The following were the main findings in terms of the examined variables: (1) Schemes (p < 0.01), Gender (p < 0.05), and Maint (p < 0.1) all decreased WFP_Maize; (2) education showed a reduction effect on the link between scheme maintenance and WFP_Maize; (3) secondary education has a higher impact on the magnitude of Maint on WFP_Maize; and (4) Maint and WFP_Maize have a positive correlation. This study illustrates the interaction of socio-economic factors on WFP and has substantial implications for simultaneously addressing the sustainable consumption of water for crop production, food security, and malnutrition in a changing climate.

Climate change knowledge, concerns and experiences in secondary school learners in South Africa

Climate change poses a major threat to the future of today’s youth. Globally, young people are at the forefront of climate change activism. Their ability to engage, however, depends on the level of knowledge of climate change and concern about the topic. We sought to examine levels of knowledge and concerns about climate change among youth in South Africa, and their experiences of heat exposure. Ten questions on climate change knowledge, concerns and experiences were nested within a cross-sectional survey conducted in a cluster randomised trial among 924 secondary school learners in 14 public schools in low-income Western Cape areas. Learners’ mean age was 15.8 years and they were predominately female. While 72.0% of respondents knew that climate change leads to higher temperatures, only 59.7% agreed that human activity is responsible for climate change, and 58.0% believed that climate change affects human health. Two thirds (68.7%) said that climate change is a serious issue and 65.9% indicated action is needed for prevention. Few learners indicated climate change events had affected them, although many reported difficulties concentrating during hot weather (72.9%). Female learners had lower knowledge levels than male learners, but more frequent heat-related symptoms. Learners scoring high on knowledge questions expressed the most concern about climate change and had the highest heat impacts. Many youth seem unaware that climate change threatens their future. Heat-related symptoms are common, likely undermining educational performance, especially as temperatures escalate. More is needed to mainstream climate change into South African school curricula.

Climate Change Adaptation Strategies by Indonesian Vegetable Farmers: Comparative Study of Organic and Conventional Farmers

Some experts believe that organic agriculture is more adaptable compared to conventional agriculture. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to assess organic and conventional farmers’ perception and adaptation to climate change and analyse the factors that influence such decisions. The survey was conducted in Java, involving 112 organic farmers and 112 conventional farmers. The chi-square test was used to differentiate climate change perceptions and adaptation strategies applied by farmers. The factors that influenced the selection of the adaptation strategies were analysed using logistic regression. The results of analysis found that organic farmers have more precise perceptions of climate change than that of conventional farmers. Organic farmers more commonly implement mixed cropping, crop rotation, increasing organic manure, using shade, and changing irrigation techniques as their adaptation strategies, while conventional farmers more commonly prefer to adjust planting and harvesting dates and use traditional climate prediction called Pranata Mangsa. The selection of farmers’ adaptation strategies is influenced by age, education, experience, distance to extension services, access to credit, information about climate and farmer groups, as well as farmers’ perceptions of climate change. The results of the study recommend that policy makers increase farmers’ adaptive capacity through investment in education and institutions to support climate change adaptation.

How is gender investigated in African climate change research? A systematic review of the literature

This systematic review analyzes all 260 studies published in the Web of Science on gender and climate change in Africa. While there is no strong methodological bias, comparative case studies and sex disaggregated analyses predominate from a limited set of countries. Many articles covered the agrarian sector by comparing women's and men's on-farm vulnerability to a changing climate based on their adaptation behaviours. Though this literature recognizes women's important conservation, farming, and food responsibilities, it oftentimes generalized these contributions without providing evidence. A number of themes were covered by a very limited number of articles, including coastal areas, conflict, education, energy, migration, urban areas, and water. Overall, more justice-oriented research is needed into the socioeconomic structures that intersect with social identities to make certain people, places, and institutions more vulnerable. Investigations into the power dynamics between (social) scientists and African institutions are also needed as most articles reviewed stem from North America and Europe and are locked beyond paywalls.

Climate Change Concerns of Saudi Arabian Farmers: The Drivers and Their Role in Perceived Capacity Building Needs for Adaptation

Climate change is a serious threat to the sustainability of global agriculture and food supply that necessitates taking appropriate action for building resilient food production systems and preserving rural economies. In this regard, farmers’ beliefs and concerns about the effects of climate change on agriculture may influence their adoption of adaptation and mitigation practices to address this emerging issue. This work was undertaken to evaluate farmers’ level of concern about climate change in the Jazan province of Saudi Arabia. The study also explored the role of various socioeconomic indicators in shaping farmers’ concerns and highlights various capacity-building initiatives that can be applied at the community level for effective adaptation. Ordered logistic regression was used to study the relationship between farmers’ level of concern and their need for capacity-building initiatives to tackle climate change. Results indicated that insect infestation is the farmers’ top concern, followed by higher crop-diseases incidence and drought. Regression analysis revealed that farmers’ income is a major factor that reduces their concern for insect infestation and crop disease while increases concern for drought. Credit access and information availability have a mixed impact on the farmers’ concern level. Capacity-building initiatives deemed necessary included establishing frequent contacts with extension personnel, timely warnings on droughts and other natural hazards, the training of farmers and extension workers, easy credit facilities, improvement in rural infrastructure and creation of awareness to address specific concern stimulus.

Climate Change Perceptions by Smallholder Coffee Farmers in the Northern and Southern Highlands of Tanzania

Smallholder farmers are among the most vulnerable groups to climate change. Efforts to enhance farmers’ adaptation to climate change are hindered by lack of information on how they are experiencing and responding to climate change. Therefore, this paper examines smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate change, factors influencing their perceptions, and the impacts and adaptation strategies adopted over the past three to four decades. A list of farmers was obtained from the Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Society (AMCOS) and filtered on the basis of age and farming experience. In order to explore factors influencing household perceptions of climate change, a structured questionnaire was administered to the randomly selected household heads. Data on rainfall and temperature were acquired from Lyamungo and Burka Coffee estate (Northern Highlands zone) and Mbimba and Mbinga (Southern Highlands zone) offices of the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) with the exception of data from Burka Coffee estate, which were acquired from a private operator. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to analyze the data. Farmers’ perceptions were consistent with meteorological data both pointing to significant decline in rainfall and increase in temperature since 1979. Factors such as level of education, farming experience, and access to climate information influenced farmers’ perception on climate change aspects. Based on these results, it is recommended to enhance timely and accurate weather information delivery along with developing institutions responsible for education and extension services provision. The focus of education or training should be on attenuating the impacts of climate change through relevant adaptation measures in each coffee-growing region.

Discriminated perceptions of climatic impacts on coastal farm management practices

Agriculture is responsive to weather and climate variability. In addition to the climatic stressors, coastal agriculture is influenced by non-climatic factors. Therefore, understanding farmers' perception of the causes of their changes in farm management plays a key role in motivating them to adopt agricultural adaptations. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in coastal farm management in Bangladesh over the last decade compared to the previous one. We explored whether the causes of those changes were climatic or non-climatic as perceived by the farmers and the factors that shaped their perceptions. We interviewed 381 farmers sampled from ten subdistricts along the coast of Bangladesh. Descriptive statistics showed that the farmers had changed on average 10 to 11 farm management practices. Though the average value was 67%, a higher number of farmers in the western coastal zone mentioned that climate change had impacts on their farm management. Adoption of rice crop-related adaptations was greater than livestock, fisheries or general agricultural practices. According to the discriminant function analysis, discriminative variables were perception of climatic impacts on farm productivity, climate change awareness, involvement with non-farm jobs, age, education, organizational affiliation, number of changed farm practices, and meteorologically consistent perception of rainfall and temperature. Lessons learned from this research are that the farmers should better understand the link between climate change and farm management practices while motivating them to implement adaptation strategies. This could be achieved by improving farmers' climate change awareness, perceptions of changes in climatic parameters and involvement with farm-related associations.

Analysis of the Energy Balance of Constructions Based on Wood during Their Use in Connection with CO2 Emissions

In the construction industry, it is the material production phase and the use phase of buildings’ life cycles that represent the greatest environmental burden. The presented research focused on wood constructions during their use phase. The primary objective of the research was to determine the amount of CO2 produced during the operation of specific wood constructions in connection with the energy demand for their heating. A correlation analysis of selected parameters revealed a statistically significant correlation between heating medium type and energy demand for heating (p = −0.5773) and between heating medium type and amount of CO2 produced (p = 0.4796). A more detailed analysis showed that, in terms of the average energy demand for heating, the column constructions were the most efficient among the compared construction systems, regardless of the energy standard. Similar findings were obtained for annual CO2 production in connection with the average energy demand for heating. The only difference was that the panel and log constructions exhibited almost identical parameters, which came as a surprise to some extent. The column constructions turned out to be the most efficient again, regardless of their energy standard. The analysis that focused on the heating medium type revealed statistically significant differences among the heating medium types in energy demand for heating (p < 0.0001). The constructions that used electricity for heating were the most energy-efficient. When the individual characteristics of the different heating media in relation to CO2 production were taken into account, the constructions that were heated using biomass were the least polluting. The constructions heated using electricity and gas showed a significantly greater deviation.

Documentation and validation of climate change perception of an ethnic community of the western Himalaya

The high-altitude regions of Himalaya are among the best indicators of climate change yet noticeable for the lack of climate monitoring stations. However, they support ethnic communities whose livelihood activities are climate driven. Consequently, these communities are keen observers of the same and documenting their perception on changing climate is now an important area of global research. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the prime objective of documenting the climate change perception of Bhangalis-a resident community of western Himalaya, and analyzing variation in their perceptions in relation to age and gender. For this, respondent surveys (household, n = 430; individual interviews, n = 240) were carried out and the collected data were subjected to statistical analyses. The study also validated the perception of Bhangalis using the available weather data (1974-2017) through the Mann-Kendall test. The results reveal that Bhangalis perceived 11 indicators of changing climate, of which decrease in snowfall was the most prominent (reported by ~ 97% of the respondents). The perceptions varied between the two genders with males having significantly higher proportion of responses for all the 11 indicators. Similarly, differences in perception among the age groups were also observed, elderly people reported higher proportion of climate change indicators as compared to respondents of lower age. Notably, patterns of temperature and rainfall perceptions by the Bhangalis agreed with the trends of meteorological data. This highlights the importance of the study in documenting knowledge of ethnic communities especially from areas that lack monitoring stations. It argues for involving them in climate change programs.

Farmers' perceptions of climate change and adaptation behavior in Wushen Banner, China

A better understanding of farmers' perceptions of and responses to climate change is important for decision-makers to design more effective adaptation policies. This study investigates farmers' perceptions of climate change, actual adaption responses at the farm level, and factors influencing farmers' decisions on climate change adaptation in Wushen Banner, China. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 220 farmers with a random sampling technique. We found that farmers were generally concerned about climate change. Most farmers have adopted adaption measures to address the adverse effects of climate change. Adjusting farming behavior and using financial means were the main adaptation measures used by local farmers. The results revealed that the implementation of adaptation measures was constrained by the lack of technology, shortage of money, and poor infrastructure. The binary logistic regression results showed that farmers' socioeconomic characteristics, such as education, farming experience, and gender, had significant impacts on farmers' decisions to choose adaptation strategies. The regression results also indicated that farmers who believed climate change would affect their health were more willing to choose financial instruments, and farmers who believed climate change would affect their agricultural productions were likely to diversify their livelihoods. The findings provide some critical insights based on local perceptions of climate change and enhance our understanding of cognitive beliefs attached to adaptive responses.

Farmers' perceived efficacy of adaptive behaviors to climate change in the Loess Plateau, China

The impact of climate change is very significant to farmers who depend on natural resources for livelihood. It is essential to have a better understanding of farmers' assessments of the efficacy of adaptive behaviors for formulating appropriate adaptation policies and improving farmers' ability to adapt to climate change. Based on survey data from interviews with farmers in the Loess Plateau, the features of farmers' perceived adaptation efficacy are analyzed. Three multiple linear regression models are used to analyze farmers' perceived efficacy of adaptive behaviors and identify factors influencing those assessments in terms of farmers' demographical and social factors, their perception of climate change, their perception of climate change effects and the average temperature and precipitation from 2005 to 2015 in this area. The results are as follows: (1) Generally, the adaptive behaviors with high perceived adaptation efficacy were used by most respondents. Measures with relatively low perceived adaptation efficacy were not commonly adopted, such as migration, buying insurance, changing planting and harvesting time. (2) The factors affect the perceived efficacy of adaption behavior in decreasing order are as follows: perception of climate change, the average precipitation, and demographical and social factors. Perception of local natural disasters, perception of planting and harvesting time, crop yield and diseases and insect pests caused by climate change were found to affect farmers' adaptation assessments. The key demographical and social factors influencing farmers' assessments were non-farming income, farming income, farmland quantity, gender, the frequency of watching TV and going to the market.

Perceived Climate Variability and Farm Level Adaptation in the Central River Region of The Gambia

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the recurring erratic and uneven rainfall distribution has resulted in low crop yields, income losses, and low food stock. In response to these climate change challenges, farmers have recourse to several coping strategies to survive. This present paper explores farmers’ perception of climate variability and the coping strategies in use in the Central River Region of The Gambia. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze perceived climate variability and farm level adaptation options in the region. Data were collected from 283 farmhouses through transect walks, quantitative surveys including the use focus group discussions. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results revealed that farmers generally perceive an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events and a decrease in the duration of the growing season. With regards to vulnerability and severity, nearly 95% of the respondents considered the dryness as the main threat to their farming activities and perceived its consequences as the most severe. The results equally showed that the perception of changes is linked to the adoption of some adaptation measures among which the preferred were the use of chemical fertilizers (66%), though it is stated to be the most expensive. The Spearman correlation test showed that the use of water conservation techniques is highly correlated with the quality of soil surface structure (p ≤ 0.01) and soil storage capacity (p ≤ 0.01). Findings of this study are of paramount importance in planning and implementing adaptation policies in The Gambia and beyond. To improve farmers’ resilience, drought tolerant crops should be promoted along with climate change and variability awareness campaigns.

Comparison between meteorological data and farmer perceptions of climate change and vulnerability in relation to adaptation

How farmers perceive climate change has an influence on how they adapt to climate change. Climate change perception and vulnerability were assessed based on the household survey information collected from randomly selected 118 farmers of Kalapara subdistrict in Bangladesh. This paper identified the socio-economic covariates of climate change perception and vulnerability in relation to agricultural adaptation. It was also determined whether their perception was consistent with meteorological information. Findings revealed that the farmers had a moderate level of perception of and vulnerability to climate change. An overwhelming majority (98%) of the respondents perceived a warmer summer and 96% of them observed a colder winter compared to the past. Among the farmers, 91% believed that rainfall had increased and 97% thought that the timing of rainfall had changed. The belief of increase in soil salinity and associated loss was prevailing among 98 and 99% of them, respectively. Observed climate data were mostly aligned with the farmers' perception with respect to temperature, rainfall, floods, droughts and salinity. Positive correlations were found among the perception of climate change, the perception of vulnerability and the number of adopted adaptation practices. Farmers' level of understanding of climate change, vulnerability and adaptation practices could be improved by involving them in different organizations, such as climate field school and farmer associations. It could accelerate the dissemination of agricultural adaptation practices among them to cope with adverse agricultural impacts of climate change.

Farmer Perceptions of Climate Change, Observed Trends and Adaptation of Agriculture in Pakistan

Farmers' willingness and ability to adapt agricultural systems depend on their knowledge about changes in climate and perceived risks of extreme events. Using cross-sectional data of 450 farmers collected from three agro-ecological zones of Punjab, Pakistan, this study investigates farmer perceptions of climate change and their agreement with observed climatic trends. In addition, this study explores the correlation between different adaptation stages (perceptions, intentions, and adaptation) and their key drivers using a Multivariate Probit Model. This study also explores the adaptation measures adopted by farmers. The results of the study show that the perceptions of increasing mean temperature match well with locally recorded data. However, a discrepancy is found in some cases between farmer perceptions of rainfall changes and local climate records. Moreover, education, experience, land tenure, land holdings, extension, cooperation, access to weather forecasting, and marketing information are the factors influencing the three adaptation stages. A strong association is found among the three adaptation stages. Particularly, the study confirms the hypothesis that accurate perceptions lead to stronger adaptation intentions compared to underestimated or no perceptions. Further, farmers prefer basic adaptation measures including changing crop varieties, input use and planting dates over advanced measures, such as planting shade trees, soil conservation, and crop diversification. The study recommends providing farmers, especially small landholders and tenants, easy access to information, institutional services and training on the use of advanced measures to reduce negative impacts of climate change at the farm level.

Evaluating Public Attitudes and Farmers’ Beliefs towards Climate Change Adaptation: Awareness, Perception, and Populism at European Level

The scientific understanding of climate change is firmly established; it is occurring, it is primarily due to human activities, and it poses potentially serious risks to human and natural systems. Nevertheless, public understanding of this phenomenon varies widely among farmers and the public, the two-target audience of this paper. This paper introduces two research questions: (1) How climate change is perceived by public-farmers’ nexus; and (2) How perception and populism (as a thin-ideology moved by social forces) interact? In order to address both questions, we review insights from different sources (literature, research projects, and public opinion services) over the last 10 years. The results proved how public experience of climate change is interdependent with the belief that climate change is happening. What is also notable is that the greater the years of farmers’ farming experiences, the greater the percentage rate of their climate change awareness. Differences among farmers and public perceptions were also noted. Uncertainty, coupled with skepticism, the media, and political will, are common findings when asking to farmers and the public for the main weaknesses in adaptation to climate change. However, scientific consensus, meteorological data, barriers to adaptation, and the role of technology are subjects in which both differ.