Factors influencing farmers' adoption of adaptation measures towards climate change and variability in distress prone districts of Vidarbha

Abstract

This paper analyses the various factors that had influenced the adoption of adaptation measures by the farmers in response to climate change and variability in distress prone districts of Vidarbha region in Maharashtra. The data used in the analysis were obtained through face to face interviews of 300 farmers in 10 villages scattered over 5 tahsils of 2 highly farmers' suicide prone districts in 2012. Influence of 27 independent variables on the adoption of adaptation measures (dependent variable) was studied. The results of regression analysis indicated that the t- value for partial b of adaptive capacity (3.098) was significant. All the 27 variables fitted in a regression equation accounted for 75.30% (R2 = 0.753) variation in adoption of adaptation measures. Regression analysis further revealed that annual income, perception towards climate change, extension contact, farming experience and social participation were the major factors influencing adoption of adaptation measures. Use of different adaptation measures significantly increase for farmers under study area with more access to these factors. Designing policies that aims to improve these factors for small holder farming systems have great potential to improve farmers' adaptation to changes in climate and variability in the region.

Keywords

• Adaptation measures
• Adoption
• Climate change
• Distress prone
• Factors
• Vidarbha