A multidimensional perspective to farmers’ decision making determines the adaptation of the farming community

Abstract

Agricultural adaptation to climate change includes changes in agricultural management practices which will be quite effective in reducing the probability of crop failure and improving the socio economic condition of farmers. Knowledge about the decision making process of farmers can help in identifying the determinants of adaptation to them. It is very important to model the farmers' behaviour and decision making process to answer the reasons for farmers' suicides and inequalities arising out within the farmers belonging to same group. Our study identifies the factors responsible for increasing inequalities, crop failure and differential decision making capabilities of farmers by surveying 400 farmers in eighteen villages of Maharashtra, India. We analysed how combination of various factors such as social, economic, infrastructural and institutional affect the decision making process of farmers which brings out the novelty of the present work that can be replicated across a spectrum of such studies. Further, different adaptation options were categorized into the most and least preferred adaptive strategies by considering the farmers' perception. Our work has also identified which particular factor i.e. climatic, institutional, infrastructural or socio-economic is the major challenge towards the adaptation of farmers. The study has followed logit model in investigating the farmers' adaptation to multiple stressors. The study has also addressed the on-going argument regarding the scale of policy formulation i.e., whether policy formulation should take place at micro scale (Decentralization) or at larger region (State/National) level. Findings revealed that farmers perceive climate variability in terms of monsoon and temperature variability and respond as per their indigenous knowledge and experience. Model results revealed that institutional, social and climatic factors should be the focus point of government for improving the adaptation profile of farmers.