Investigating the effective factors on farmers' perception of climate change risk and the effect of these factors on their adaptive behaviors (The case of Kermanshah County)
Subject Areas : Regional Planning
Sara Ghobadi
1
(PhD student of Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran)
Hossein Agahi
2
(Associate Professor of Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran)
Homayon Farhadian
3
(Assistant Professor of Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran)
Keywords: Climate Change, Kermanshah Township, Risk perception, Farmers' adoptive behavior,
Abstract :
Farmers’ perceptions of climate change risk is critically important if they plan to implement appropriate adaptation measures in their farming. Because, farmers' perception of the risk of climate change can affect decisions and their performance. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the factors affecting farmers' perceptions of climate change risk and their adaptation behavior in response to climate change in Kermanshah Township. The statistical population was agricultural farmers in Kermanshah Township, from which 250 farmers were selected as a sample using two-stage cluster sampling method and according to the research objectives and indicators considered by the researcher. The present study is descriptive-correlational research and data were collected through a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by the opinions of experienced experts and the reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha test. Collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (path analysis and multivariate linear regression) by SPSSWin21, The results showed that seven variables could account for 61% of the total variance of farmer’ adoptive behavior. Also, the results of path analysis revealed that five variables, i.e. knowledge, personal feelings, climate change risk perception, personal experiences and social problems had total impacts of 0.599, 0.309, 0.262, 0.253 and 0.247, respectively and they were the most important factors in determining farmer’ adoptive behavior. Also, two variables of value orientation and social norms had total impacts of 0.112 and -0.172, respectively and had a minimal effect on farmers' adoptive behavior. Finally, the findings of this study showed that the ways that individuals perceive climate change is highly personal and influenced by a number of factors. The results also clearly show the need to increase people awareness about the causes, effects and methods of adaptation to climate change.
Adger, W. N., Dessai, S., Goulden, M., Hulme,M., Lorenzoni, L., Nelson, D. R., Naess, L. O., Wolf, J., & Wreford, A. (2009). "Are there social limits to adaptation to climate change?" Climatic Change 93(3): 335-354.
Azadi, Y., Yazdanpanah, M., Forouzani, M., Mahmoudi, H. (2018). Investigating the Factors Affecting the Risk Perception of Exposure to Climate Change: A Case Study of Wheat Farmers in Kermanshah. Journal of Geography and Environmental Hazards, 7(3), 121-134. doi: 10.22067/geo.v0i0.71853
Aitken, C., Chapman, R., & McClure, J. (2011). "Climate change, powerlessness and the commons dilemma: Assessing New Zealanders’ preparedness to act." Global Environmental Change-human and Policy Dimensions - GLOBAL ENVIRON CHANGE 21: 752-760.
Akerlof, K., Maibach, E. W., Fitzgerald, D., Cedeno, A. Y., & Neuman, A. (2013). "Do people “personally experience” global warming, and if so how, and does it matter?" Global Environmental Change 23(1): 81-91.
Aung, A. T. O. U., Van Huylenbroeck, G., & Speelman, S. (2017). "Determining factors for the application of climate change adaptation strategies among farmers in Magwe District, dry zone region of Myanmar." (2017) INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATE CHANGE STRATEGIES AND MANAGEMENT.
Bergquist, M. (2021). Determinants for Accepting Climate Change Mitigation Policies: A Meta-Analysis.
Brody, Grover, H., & Vedlitz, A. (2007)."Examining the Relationship Between Physical Vulnerability and Public Perceptions of Global Climate Change in the United States." Environment and Behavior 40(1): 72-95.
Cameron, L. (2021)). "Public perceptions of Lyme disease and climate change in southern Manitoba, Canada: making a case for strategic decoupling of climate and health messages." BMC Public Health 21.
Capstick, S. B. Whitmarsh, L., Poortinga, W., Pidgeon, N., & Upham, P. (2014). "Public perception of cold weather events as evidence for and against climate change." Climatic Change 122(4): 695-708.
Ding, D., Maibach, E. W., Zhao, X., Roser-Renouf, C., & Leiserowitz, A. (2011). "Support for climate policy and societal action are linked to perceptions about scientific agreement." Nature Climate Change 1(9): 462-466.
Ghobadi, S., chizari, M., sedeghi, H. (2016). The Analysis of Farmer’s Behaviour and Strategies in Dealing with Drought (The case Study: Kermanshah Township). Regional Planning, 6(21), 143-154.
Hidalgo, M. C. and I. Pisano (2010). "Determinants of risk perception and willingness to tackle climate change. A pilot study." PsyEcology 1(1): 105-112.
Hine, D. W., W., Reser, J. P., Phillips, W. J., Cooksey, R., Marks, A. D., Nunn, P., et al. (2013). "Identifying climate change interpretive communities in a large Australian sample." 36: 229-239.
Hitayezu, P., Wale, E., Ortmann, G. (2017). "Assessing farmers’ perceptions about climate change: A double-hurdle approach." Climate Risk Management 17.
Howe, P. D., Mildenberger, M., Marlon, J. R., & Leiserowitz, A. (2013). "Global perceptions of local temperature change." Nature Climate Change 3(4): 352-356.
Kellstedt, P. M., Zahran, S., & Vedlitz, A. (2008). "Personal Efficacy, the Information Environment, and Attitudes Toward Global Warming and Climate Change in the United States." Risk Analysis 28(1): 113-126.
Kim, S. Y. and Y. Wolinsky-Nahmias (2014). "Cross-National Public Opinion on Climate Change: The Effects of Affluence and Vulnerability." Global Environmental Politics 14(1): 79-106.
Kiani ghalehsard, S., Shahraki, J., Akbari, A., Sardar Shahraki, A. (2019). Planning and Studying the Effects of Climate Change On Iran's Agricultural Development; Application Techniques Positive Mathematical Programming (PMP). Regional Planning, 9(34), 15-26.
Khaledi, F., Zarafshani, K., Mirakzadeh, A., Sharafi, L. (2015). Factors influencing on farmers’ adaptive capacities to climate change (wheat farmers in Sarpole Zahab township, Kermanshah province). Journal of Rural Research, 6(3), 655-678. doi: 10.22059/jrur.2015.56064
Lee, T. M., Markowitz, E. M., Howe, P. D., Ko, C.-Y., & Leiserowitz, A. (2015). "Predictors of public climate change awareness and risk perception around the world." Nature Climate Change 5(11): 1014-1020.
Malka, A., Krosnick, J. A., & Langer, G. (2009). "The Association of Knowledge with Concern About Global Warming: Trusted Information Sources Shape Public Thinking." Risk Analysis 29(5): 633-647.
McCright, A. M., Dunlap, R. E., & Xiao, C. (2014). "Political polarization on support for government spending on environmental protection in the USA, 1974–2012." Social Science Research 48: 251-260.
Metag, J., Füchslin, T., & Schäfer, M. S. (2015). "Global warming’s five Germanys: A typology of Germans’ views on climate change and patterns of media use and information." Public Understanding of Science 26(4): 434-451.
Milfont, T. L. (2012). "The Interplay Between Knowledge, Perceived Efficacy, and Concern About Global Warming and Climate Change: A One-Year Longitudinal Study." Risk Analysis 32(6): 1003-1020.
Moser, S. C. (2010). "Communicating climate change: history, challenges, process and future directions." WIREs Climate Change 1(1): 31-53.
Spence, A., Poortinga, W., & Pidgeon, N. (2012). "The Psychological Distance of Climate Change." Risk Analysis 32(6): 957-972.
Taghilo, A., Bahrami jaf, S., Alizadeh, F., Shahbazi, M. (2021). Analyzing adaptability of farmers with drought in Urmia Lake (Bakeshlochay village, Urmia city). Regional Planning, 10(40), 117-132.
Van der Linden, S. (2014). "Towards a new model for communicating climate change." Understanding and governing sustainable tourism mobility: Psychological and behavioural approaches: 243-275.
Van der Linden, S. (2015). "The social-psychological determinants of climate change risk perceptions: Towards a comprehensive model." Journal of Environmental Psychology 41: 112-124.
Van Eck, C. W., Mulder., B., & Van der linden., S. (2020). "Climate Change Risk Perceptions of Audiences in the Climate Change Blogosphere." Sustainability 12(19).
Whitmarsh, L. (2011). "Scepticism and uncertainty about climate change: Dimensions, determinants and change over time." Global Environmental Change 21(2): 690-700.
_||_
