Abstract
This study attempts to understand the role of ICTs on adoption of climate change adaption options among the Nepalese rice farmers, using data from 773 households from seven districts—3 from Terai region and 4 from hilly region. Individual Farmer’s Awareness Index was developed to categorize the respondent knowledge of climate change adaptation and Ordered Logit Model was used to examine the factors influencing their adaptation options in present of ICTs. The result revealed that 65% farmers perceived knowledge about temperature, rainfall and other relative information from various ICT devices that they pose. Farmers received such information mostly from Radio (71%), TV (69%) and mobile phone (62.5%) and argued these three devices are the most prominent, easy access and practical devices to receive such information. 86% farmers used such devices on the daily basis and 90% and more users opined that the information provided from such devices is in their own language and fully understandable. From ICT devices they pose, 71% of the farmers are receiving climate change information and 61% received agro-related information and the majority of them argued that such available information is very much informative and supportive of their resilience to climate change and use of available adaptation options. From the Farmers Awareness Index, this study found 19.8% farmers are high aware, 65.1% medium aware and 15.1% were less aware of the changing climate and its anomalies. Similarly, result from Ordered Logit Model shows that age (0.45***), gender (0.48**), market center (0.32*), bank access (0.54***), availability of subsidy (1.0***), agro-extension services (0.71**), access to TV (0.67***) and membership to a social network (3.20**) played a significant role in increasing farmers’ awareness of climate change which in turn lead to increased adoption of adaptation options available to the farmers. The findings suggest the need for further improvement on ICT devices and publicity of such ICT devices and proper investment to boost rice farmers’ adaptation to climate change, which will in turn help to improve their livelihoods and well-being.
Highlights
With the recognition of climate change as a serious concern since the 1980s, research on climate change and its adaptive measures in the agricultural sector has been a core topic for the agro-scientists, economists and policy makers [1]
Questions arise like whether ICTs are available to the rice farmers of South Asia? How do South Asian rice farmers use ICTs in climate change (CC) adaptation? Are such ICTs useful and cost efficient? this paper aims to investigate in a real scenario and the feasibility of ICT applications on CC adaptation by the rural rice farmers in Nepal
We observed that the majority of farmers accessed information about climate change from ICT devices; the most common ICTs are TV, Radio and Mobile Phone
Summary
With the recognition of climate change as a serious concern since the 1980s, research on climate change and its adaptive measures in the agricultural sector has been a core topic for the agro-scientists, economists and policy makers [1]. Several studies have already been conducted to gauge climate change adaptation and its impact, consequences and remedies in sectors including agriculture and rice production from macro to micro level, as well as world to regional level. Rice is the primary staple food and the most important crop in South Asia. It ranks first in Nepal in terms of area, production and its contribution to livelihoods [6]. Its consumption in Nepal is 79.9 kg of milled rice per person per year [3] [7]
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