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Floods are a frequent disaster in Bangladesh, and farmers are the most at risk. Understanding how to improve the farmers’ flood adaption is important to reduce flood effects. Protection motivation theory (PMT) has been widely used to examine flood adaptation behavior, but there is still debate regarding the quantitative effect of PMT factors on flood adaption behavior, particularly in a geographically vulnerable context. This study integrates psychological aspects based on PMT to assess farmers’ flood adaptability. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data from 359 farmers. We employed structural equation modeling to test a PMT model with mediation analysis. The results showed that farmers who perceive a higher flood risk and feel more fear of floods are more likely to implement flood adaptation measures. Similarly, farmers adopt more adaptive actions if they have higher self-efficacy and response efficacy. However, they are less likely to take adaptive actions if they are subject to maladaptation. Maladaptation plays a significant role as a mediating variable. These findings will act as recommendations for government agencies to design policy measures to strengthen flood risk management. The study supports the theory of protection motivation to understand farmers’ flood adaptation behavior. However, further study is required to enhance and generalize the existing model.

Community-based organizations (CBOs) are gaining popularity in Bangladesh as a tool for relaying flood risk information and adaptation strategies. However, to our knowledge, no attempts have been made to determine the impact of CBOs on farmers’ adoption of flood adaptation strategies. Therefore, in this paper, we identify the determinants that influence farmers’ decisions to participate in CBOs and how this participation impacts farmers’ adoption of flood adaptation strategies. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 359 farmers for the study. An endogenous switching regression model was applied to control for possible selection bias due to unobserved factors, while propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability-weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) were employed to test for the robustness of the results. The results reveal a positive selection bias, indicating that farmers with above-average flood adaptation strategies are more willing to participate in CBOs. Farmers’ flood experience, having children under 10 years, distance to the village center, and access to information mainly determine the participation in CBOs. It is also found that CBO participation significantly increases farmers’ adoption of flood adaptation strategies. ESR results show that farmers who participated in CBOs have 3.76 higher average flood adaptation strategies compared to CBO non-participation, and this finding is also consistent with PSM and IPWRA results. Therefore, policy intervention aimed at further strengthening and institutionalizing CBOs is necessary for successful flood adaptation.

This study was undertaken to understand the smallholder farmer's perception of the effects of climate variability, their adaptation strategies to cope with climate variability and factors determining the adoption of their adaptation strategies in the eastern Free State Province of South Africa. Adaptation strategies were grouped into two categories, i.e., traditional adaptation strategies and scientific adaptation strategies. Traditional adaptation strategies consisted of practices that require minimal technical expertise and less external inputs such as changing from crops to livestock, crop diversification, increasing land under production, changing crop type and water harvesting. Scientific adaptation strategies consisted of practices that require additional external inputs, labour, and some level of technical expertise such as changing crop variety, improving soil fertility and soil conservation. Data were collected from 391 smallholder farmers using a structured household questionnaire and were verified through focus group discussion meetings with key informants. Data were analysed using the descriptive statistics, frequency analysis and a binary logistic model. Results indicated that the majority of smallholder farmers perceived that climate change had triggered food-related impacts in the study area and had adopted at least one adaptation strategy. This study showed that awareness and knowledge were the key factors that determined the adoption of traditional adaptation strategies in the study area. The adoption of scientific adaptation strategies was additionally determined by the availability of external financial investments. It is recommended that the promotion of traditional practices should focus on raising awareness of climate change and adaptation strategies while the promotion of scientific practices additionally requires the provision and accessibility of financial institutional support and incentives.

This study investigated the potential adaptation measures for farmers in the Mwanga and Same Districts of Tanzania and then assessed their positive and negative interactions towards potential contributions to the selected sustainable development goal (SDG) indicators of no poverty and zero hunger. A total of 200 household surveys were conducted, and 36 participants were interviewed as key informants. Moreover, four focus group discussions were conducted to identify potential adaptation strategies in the studied areas. The literature and expert judgement approaches were used to understand and assess the positive and negative interactions between adaptation strategies and the selected indicators of SDGs. A seven-point scale of SDG interactions was used to determine the interactions between identified adaptation strategies and selected SDG indicators. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis, whereas quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics. The finding revealed that some of the adaptation strategies (i.e., stream bank crop cultivation, valley bottom crop cultivation, and cultivating crops near water sources) considered potential at the household levels and had strong negative interactions on achieving SDG 2.4.1. Further, most farmers hardly employed strategies (i.e., use of extension officers, concrete irrigation channels, crop insurance schemes, and credit schemes) that had strong positive interactions on the selected SDG indicators. Moreover, most of the identified strategies (i.e., early maturity crops, planting drought-resistant crops, use of improved varieties, mixing improved and local varieties, mixing short and long duration varieties, and crop diversification) are enabling strategies (+1), which, despite their importance, may constrain (−1) the income of small-scale farmers, food security, and poverty reduction. The importance of other strategies (i.e., irrigation infrastructures) must be addressed for better yields and positive impacts. Hence, achieving SDGs 1 and 2 in the studied areas will require the integration of different adaptation strategies that complement each other, and not by promoting only some strategies as used or suggested before. For example, the emphasis on using improved varieties and crop diversification should be complemented by access to credit schemes, irrigation infrastructures, crop insurance, and extension services at the village level.

The present study attempted to observe the perception and adaptation strategies of farmers in the context of climate change. It observes that the majority of the farmers are aware of climate change and understand that they are facing problems due to it. The major problems faced by the farmers are the long duration of dryness due to lack of rainfall, weed pressure, very high temperatures, and crop disease. However, farmers are not very aware of technological adaptation and have changed the cropping time due to changes in the time of monsoon. The study recommends that there is a need for intensive micro and macro policy initiatives in terms of modern green sustainable technology along with awareness and skill development of the farmers. The government should also focus more on policy initiatives for sustainable agricultural practices in line with sustainable development goals.

PurposeThis paper aims to determine factors affecting adaptation to climate variability on crop production among farming households in Tyhume Valley.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted an empirical analysis of the impact of adaptation on crop yield of farming households and estimated the factors affecting adaptation to climate variability on farming households. The analysis used primary data from 205 farming households practicing crop production in Tyhume Valley communities.FindingsBased on binary logit results, factors affecting rural farming households’ adaptation to climate variability are gender, age, heatwave, employment status, strong high wind occasional experience and cell phone. The adaptation measures adopted by the farming households in the study area include irrigation (94.8%), crop rotation (66%), changing crop variety (7.4%) and other methods of adaptation were found to be (1.3%). The other methods of adaptation used included the use of ash to kill (intuku) mole and using dirty water from washing dishes and clothes when irrigating to kill parasites on crops.Originality/valueThis research paper will be an addition to the body of knowledge on adaptation strategies to climate variability in South Africa, especially at the rural farming household level. This study may assist the rural communities in decision-making when dealing with the challenges of climate variability on their crop production, thereby increasing their crop production. The information gathered in this study might assist policymakers in revising the existing policies. This study will also help rural farming households to practice appropriate adaptation strategies.

The socio-economic and institutional systems of a developing country like India have a big role in the effects of perception on the choice of adapting capability. The study uses exploratory factor analysis to better understand these implications in a regional context (EFA). Therefore, survey research is carried out in Sindhudurg district of coastal Maharashtra, with 410 respondents, assessing perception. EFA leads to the unpacking of latent constructs evaluating the perception of climate change, which in turn affects adaptive capacity and livelihood resilience. These constructs are biophysical impact cognition, motivation to change, economic diversification, and adaptive skills, which together account for 50% of coastal fishermen’s perception of climate change. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed differences in the interpretation of these factors among coastal fishermen from various backgrounds (MANOVA). Overall, the research emphasizes the importance of perception in determining adaptive choices and resilience. According to the findings, developing adaptation-friendly infrastructural areas is recommended for society’s resilient functioning.

The climate is changing, and the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region is vulnerable to the consequences. Many of the region's countries are facing warmer temperatures, a changing hydrology, and more extremes, droughts, floods, heat waves, windstorms, and forest fires. This book presents an overview of what adaptation to climate change might mean for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It starts with a discussion of emerging best-practice adaptation planning around the world and a review of the latest climate projections. It then discusses possible actions to improve resilience organized around impacts on health, natural resources (water, biodiversity, and the coastal environment), the 'unbuilt' environment (agriculture and forestry), and the built environment (infrastructure and housing). The last chapter concludes with a discussion of two areas in great need of strengthening given the changing climate: disaster preparedness and hydro-meteorological services. This book has four key messages: a) contrary to popular perception, Eastern Europe and Central Asia face significant threats from climate change, with a number of the most serious risks already in evidence; b) vulnerability over the next 10 to 20 years is likely to be dominated by socioeconomic factors and legacy issues; c) even countries and sectors that stand to benefit from climate change are poorly positioned to do so; and d) the next decade offers a window of opportunity for ECA countries to make their development more resilient to climate change while reaping numerous co-benefits.

Many people in African countries derive their livelihoods from agriculture. Therefore, unfavourable environmental and climatic conditions render them more vulnerable to increasing food insecurity and poverty rates. However, few studies have investigated how farmers’ adaptation strategies affect farm productivity and household food security in the Sahelian region, notably Mali. We analyse factors that influence adaptation strategies to climate change and the impacts of the adaptation strategies on maize productivity and household food security in southern Mali. Farmers use adaptation strategies such as organic fertilizers, changing planting dates and growing of short duration maize varieties to mitigate against the negative effects of climate change. We find that farmer experience, number of livestock owned, off-farm employment, access to credit, farmer association and technical training exert positive effects on the use of planting short-duration maize varieties as an adaptation strategy, while distance to the farm shows a negative effect. We observe that household size, experience in maize farming, number of livestock owned and technical training positively influence farmers to change planting dates as an adaptation strategy. The use of organic fertilizers and short-duration maize varieties promote maize productivity and food security. We conclude that building farmers’ adaptive capacity tends to reduce their vulnerability to climate change by increasing crop yields and food security.

The climate and environmental changes in the Global South have devastating effects on vulnerable populations, which have been perpetuated by socio-economic and political as well as gender inequalities and non-existent interventions to adapt and mitigate its adverse effects. Underpinned by the Protection Motivation Theory and Social-Cognitive Preparation model, this systematic literature review article depicts how vulnerable populations are impacted by climate change in the Global South. Using the empirical data from credible databases including the Web of Science and Scopus, 23 articles published since 2018 were searched, retrieved, coded, and classified with three themes emerging from the synthesised literature. The analysis of the literature confirms that climate change indeed impacts vulnerable populations adversely; the adaptability mechanisms are not applied by governments which are contrary to the international frameworks; and lastly, that such groups are discriminated against, undermined, and overlooked in societal programmes and interventions to mitigate the impacts of climate-induced disasters. Climate change impacts have severely destroyed the livelihoods of vulnerable populations and are exacerbated by socio-economic and political inequalities, with the adaptation and mitigation mechanisms deemed ineffective. Gaps in current research studies include the paucity of empirical data shedding light on the interventions provided for sexual gender-based violence victims and punitive actions issued against the perpetrators during and in the aftermath of the climate-induced disasters. There is also scant empirical data testing the adaptation and mitigation mechanisms’ effectiveness.