Farmers Adaptation to Climate Variation: Barriers and Suggested Solutions

Human activities have induced change and variation in world climate. Climate change and variability are important issues because of their effects on agriculture, environment, public health and total society. Developing countries are generally more vulnerable to the consequences of these changes, as they tend to rely more on climate-sensitive sectors, such as subsistence agriculture where lack the resources to buffer themselves against the changes. Researches have been done in Iran indicate the occurrence of climate change and variation. The agriculture sector is one of those that seriously affected by climate change and variation therefore to maintain their livelihood farmers need to adapt to climate change and variation. Agriculture is a risky job inherently, and climate change with unexpected future worsens the situation. These changes are a serious threat, especially for smallholder farmers’ livelihood, because they lack sufficient resources such as credit or crop insurance to adapt to this change and to cope with challenges. Adaptation involves the action that people take in response to, or in anticipation of, projected or actual changes in climate to reduce adverse impacts or take advantage of the opportunities posed by climate change. There is very uncertainty about how farmers will respond to the climate change and variation, so more understanding of social and economic factors that affect farmers’ perception of climate change and variation and their response to these changes is needed. This research was conducted in three phases to investigate farmers’ barriers to adaptation to climate change and suggest solutions to improve the situation in Marvadasht County, Fars Province.
In phase one, consulting Marvdasht Jihad-Agriculture experts two villages purposefully selected as research sample. One village with highest climate variation and one village with lowest climate variation. A qualitative research using focus group depth interview technique was implemented in selected villages and farmers perspectives about main obstacles and barriers of farmers adaptation to climate variation was investigated. In phase two, based on phase one results also literature review, eight barriers recognized as a farmers main problem. Then to rank the importance of these barriers from farmers perspective a survey research was conducted on 307 farmers selected by multistage stratified random sampling from four sections of Marvdasht County. In phase three, based on the results of the previous phases as well library research, suggested solutions for improvement of the situation of farmers adaptation were determined. Perceptions of Marvdasht Jihad-Agriculture experts’ perspective was investigated about suggested solutions in an expert group session. Then, using a general question and open discussion experts perspective about farmers barriers to adaptation to climate variation and their suggested solutions were investigated.
Based on research findings, in phase one, eight barriers of farmers adaptation were recognized in two villages with a different situation in a focus group depth interview. These barriers include financial constraints and lack of saved money, lack of credit and loan problem, inequitable distribution of governmental facilities, unsuitable programing to distribute facilities, organizational bureaucracy, insurance problems, lack of a suitable market to sale products, and land fragmentation. In phase two, based on survey results barriers ranked in two groups of individual and institutional barriers, and in phase three based on Marvdasht Jihad-Agriculture experts’ viewpoints, the present and ideal condition of solutions to face the challenges of adaptation were presented in three dimensions (providing information, farm management, as well administration and financing). Based on experts’ perspective, these solutions ranked regarding their necessity and importance of attention. More essential solutions were: presenting information and consultation about whether situation and forecast to farmers in radio and television as well as agricultural extension service centers, decreasing bad usage of water resources and deeping the well, preventing the crops like rice with high water need and cultivating crops with low water need and drought resistant, improving the credit supply system to decrease farmers’ financial problems and lack of capital (include low interest loans, crop insurance, production subsidies…). According to experts’ view points, there are 12 barriers and obstacles for farmers’ adaptation to climate variation and they suggested some recommendations to reduce these barriers.
Agriculture is highly dependent on weather situation and alteration in weather parameters such as temperature, precipitation and CO2 as a result of climate change influence farming system outputs. Adaptation to climate change and variation is a prerequisite for sustainable development. Farmers to maintain their livelihood also coping and adapt to climate variation face different barriers and obstacles, they need support from related organizations to overcome these barriers. In this regard the first action of organizations and individual that have responsibility is suitable recognition of farmers’ situation and their problems. As research findings reveal there are various problems and obstacles regarding the perspective of farmers and experts. Considering these problems and suggested solutions from different stakeholders, it could be hopeful to see better adaptation to climate variation in the future.