From climate perceptions to actions: A case study on coffee farms in Ethiopia

Increasing temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns have major consequences for smallholder farmers, especially in the Global South. Our study examined spatial patterns and climatic drivers of farmers' perceptions of climate change, and how these perceptions translated into adaptation a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ambio 2024-07, Vol.53 (7), p.1002-1014
Main Authors: Gomm, Xenia, Ayalew, Biruk, Hylander, Kristoffer, Zignol, Francesco, Börjeson, Lowe, Tack, Ayco J. M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation
Agriculture
Agroforestry
Atmospheric Sciences
Climate action
Climate adaptation
Climate Change
Climate perception
Climatic data
Coffea
Coffee
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecology
Environment
Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology
Environmental Management
Environmental Sciences
Ethiopia
Farmers
Farmers - psychology
Humans
Local climates
Miljövetenskap
Perception
Perceptions
Physical Geography
Precipitation patterns
Rainfall
Rainfall-climatic change relationships
Research Article
Small farms
Temperature perception
Temperature rise
Terraforming
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Increasing temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns have major consequences for smallholder farmers, especially in the Global South. Our study examined spatial patterns and climatic drivers of farmers' perceptions of climate change, and how these perceptions translated into adaptation actions. We interviewed 56 farmers in southwestern Ethiopia and analyzed ERA5-Land reanalysis climate data from 1971 to 2020. The majority of farmers perceived the recorded temperature increase as well as a decrease and shift in the timing of rainfall. Perceived climate change varied with local climate factors and not with the rate of climate change itself. Farmers' adaptation practices showed associations with local temperature, but not with farmers’ perceptions of climate change. Our findings highlight that even if farmers perceive climate change, perceptions are most common in areas where climate action is already urgent, and perceptions may not translate into adaptation. Thus, targeted and timely information and extension programs are crucial.
ISSN:0044-7447
1654-7209
1654-7209
DOI:10.1007/s13280-024-01990-0