Assessing vulnerability to climate change among farmers in northwestern Iran: A multi-dimensional approach

Abstract

Assessing the vulnerability of farmers can strengthen their capabilities against climate change (CC). For this purpose, this study uses a multi-dimensional approach, integrating both quantitative and qualitative methods to assess the vulnerability of farmers to CC and subsequently to provide solutions to cope with or adapt to CC in rural districts (RDs) of Hashtroud city, northwestern Iran. Our findings reveal that the lowest vulnerability of farmers to CC in Solouk and Qarranqou RDs is due to their higher “net income from the farmlands,” “labor force,” “medical insurance” and “access to agricultural inputs.” Also, the highest vulnerability of farmers to CC in the Nazar Kahrizi RD is due to their weaker “net income from the farmlands,” “sale channels,” “education” and “crop diversity.” The experiences of farmers indicate that coping and adaptation strategies such as “weather forecasting,” “changing planting date,” “implementing agroforestry practices,” and “pre-selling the products” have increased their adaptive capacity (AC). The acceptance of these strategies by local communities is critical, emphasizing the importance of aligning proposed solutions with farmers' preferences and capabilities. Results highlight the predominant role of AC in influencing vulnerability, consistent with similar studies in other regions. Higher AC is shown to mitigate the potential harm of CC, emphasizing the importance of farmers' capacity to transform resources into adaptive strategies. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive assessment of CC vulnerability, shedding light on the importance of AC and proposing context-specific coping and adaptation strategies to boost resilience in the face of climate challenges.