PERCEIVED IMPACTS AND STRATEGIES TO COPE-UP WITH CLIMATE CHANGE ON AGRICULTURE FARMING IN SAURASHTRA REGION OF GUJARAT STATE 3612
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Date
2022-09
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jau junagadh
Abstract
Agriculture is the backbone of economy in most of the developing countries.
In addition to food and raw material, agriculture also provides employment
opportunities to large population. Agriculture and global climate change are
inextricably linked processes. Climate change has been considered to be most vital
issue affecting the survival of human race of the 21st century. It has the potential to
have an immediate and indirect impact on agriculture. Climate change is putting
additional strain on India's ecological and socioeconomic systems, which are already
under tremendous strain as a result of rapid urbanisation, industrialization, and
economic development. Climate change directly affects agriculture production as this
sector is inherently sensitive to climatic conditions and is one of the most vulnerable
sectors at the risk and impact of global climate change. Impacts of climate change are
diversified and need to be understood, so as to workout pragmatic strategies to
mitigate ill-effects of climate change. Considering this factual information a study on
“Perceived impacts and strategies to cope-up with climate change on agriculture
farming in Saurashtra region of Gujarat state” was undertaken.
A study was conducted in Junagadh, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Amreli and Porbandar
districts of Gujarat state. Two talukas were selected from each district. From each
selected taluka, two villages were selected randomly. Total twenty villages from ten
talukas were selected randomly and fourteen farmers from each village were selected
as respondents. Thus, a sample of total 280 farmers was considered for the study. A
multidimensional scale was developed for assessing perception of farmers about
climate change for the study.
In respect to socio-personal characteristics, More than half (52.14 per cent) of
farmers belonged to middle age group, one-third 32.86 per cent farmers were
educated up to middle school level, slightly more than half (63.22 per cent) of farmers
had medium farming experience, 27.86 per cent of the farmers had annual income
above ₹ 1.5 to 2.0 lacs, more than one-third (36.43 per cent) of farmers were having
medium size of land holding, nearly three-fifth (57.14 per cent) of farmers had
medium social participation. Most of the respondents had irrigation facility as a well
and canal (33.21 per cent) and 62.14 per cent of farmers had medium access to
weather forecast. Whereas, regarding extension participation (59.64 per cent), farm
mass media (67.50 per cent), risk orientation (36.07 per cent), economic motivation
(40.71 per cent), scientific orientation (50.36 per cent), Decision making ability
(62.50 per cent) majority of them were from the middle categories.
Majority (62.86 per cent) of farmers had medium level of perception about
climate change, while 20.36 per cent of farmers fall under the category of high level
of perception about climate change. The remaining 16.78 per cent farmers had low
level of perception about climate change.
The data on perceived impact of climate change that, two-third (59.28 per
cent) of the respondents were from medium impact of climate change followed by
21.43 per cent and 19.29 per cent of respondents were from high and low impact of
climate change, respectively.
Out of sixteen variables, education, farming experience, access to weather
forecast, extension participation, farm mass media, risk orientation, innovativeness,
economic motivation, scientific orientation and decision making ability had positive
and highly significant relationship with level of perception about climate change and
perceived impacts of climate change.
Whereas, regression analysis of perception of farmers about climate change
revealed that education, farming experience, access to weather forecast,
innovativeness, scientific orientation and decision making ability were contributing
significantly to perception about climate change. While, regression analysis of
perceived impact of climate change indicated that education, farming experience,
access to weather forecast, extension participation, risk orientation, economic
motivation and scientific orientation were contributing significantly to perceived
impact of climate change.
The important constraints given by farmers concerning to the lack of
information about accurate weather forecast, lack of knowledge about need based
improved agriculture technologies and lack of information about long term climate
change; In case of suggestion, weather forecast should be more accurate and timely,
efforts should be made to create awareness among the people about the effect of
climate change and its consequences and proper information should be provided about
climate change.