FARMERS’ PERCEPTION OF CLIMATE CHANGE: EVIDENCE FROM POTATO FARMERS IN INDONESIA

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the farmers’ perception of climate change and estimate the association between socio-demographic characteristics and climate change perception. Using cross-sectional data from 302 farmers in East Java of Indonesia employs a few quantitative methods including frequency mean and chi-square test. The climate perception was indicated by recalling the farmers’ experience with climate-related indicators during the last 10 years. The finding indicated that the majority of farmers perceive the rain intensity, temperature, vegetation, also pest and disease increased. However, the farmers perceive the drought events are the same. This study confirms that farmers in our research location have a correct perception compared with the climate change real-time data. Furthermore, this study also indicated that education, total harvested area, land status, social network, cooperative membership, farmers group, and climate information were significantly associated with their perception of climate change, such as rain intensity, temperature, drought, vegetation, also pest and disease. This study provides a significant contribution to agricultural development to improve farmers’ perception of climate change.

Keywords

• climate change
• climate perception
• farmers
• socio-demographic
• indonesia