Surveying Saffron Farmers' View on Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies(Case study: Torbat-e Heydarieh city )

Climate change is one of the most serious environmental challenges and its long-term effects can have serious economic, social and environmental consequences. The agricultural sector is one of the vulnerable parts in terms of climate change. In this regard, this study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the adaptation strategies by saffron farmers Torbat-e Heydarieh using stratified random sampling method and logit model and five-part questionnaire. Data were collected by completing 380 questionnaires from saffron farmers in Torbat-e Heydarieh in 2018. The descriptive results of the study showed that most saffron farmers believe in increasing temperature, reducing rainfall and the emergence of drought and frostbite. Reducing water supply, reducing yields of saffron, reducing economic efficiency, unemployment and migration are among the consequences of climate change in Torbat-e Heydarieh. Also, based on the results, 63% of saffron farmers are willing to use adaptation strategies. The results of the Logit model estimation show that the variables of agricultural experience, land size, access to credit, extention services, media exposure and education affect the likelihood of choosing adaptive strategies. However, the variables of mechanization level and side occupation did not have a significant effect on the likelihood of choosing compatibility strategies. Therefore, government policies should provide the bank with confidence in providing bank facilities to saffron farmers who provide saffron farmers with the ability and flexibility to manage water resources, soil and other inputs in response to climate change.