CLIMATE CHANGE PROMPTED PERILS AND LOCAL SMART ADAPTATION STRATEGIES IN AGRICULTURE: EVIDENCE FROM PAKISTAN

Abstract

Purpose: Climate change refers to long-term shifts in weather patterns and global temperatures due to human-activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Climate change has numerous impacts, including rising temperatures, extreme weather events, changes in precipitation patterns, intense heatwaves, droughts and floods. Farmers are significantly impacted by climate change as their livelihoods depend on the environmental conditions.

Research Method: The study used a binary logistic regression model to assess the factors influencing the adoption of smart climate adaptation strategies by farmers. It also included an examination of farmers’ awareness, perceptions of climatic hazards, and changes in cultivation patterns due to climate change.

Findings: Results of the analysis shows that factors including family size, dependency ratio, land size, access to credit and extension services and distance to market have positive impacts on farmer’s smart adaptation strategies. However, age, education, off-farm income and raising livestock have negative influence on   farmer’s smart adaptation strategies. The output of the farm and non-farm operations can be used to control the risk posed by climate change and implement as many smart adaption techniques as possible. As a result, policies, methods, and resources should be developed and made available to farmers so that they can quickly adopt effective climate change adaptation measures.