Climate change adaptation strategies in the highland by vegetable farmers

Abstract

The Highland of Magelang Regency has a strategic role as a vegetable production center in Central Java. Farmers in the highlands of Magelang cultivate various types of vegetables. Since highland vegetable farming hugely depends on rainfall as a primary water source, climate change remarkably affects farming. Vegetable farmers often encounter problems due to climate changes in drought and highly intense rainfall, which caused crop damage. Since specific studies on vegetable farmers’ adaptation strategies to cope with climate changes and their economic effects are still limited, this research aimed to study the phenomenon. The observation was performed by interviewing all members (20 farmers) of the Mutiara Organic farmers group in Sumberejo Village, Ngablak Sub-Regency, Magelang Regency, conducting field observation and soil analysis in September-November 2018. The results showed that farmers developed several adaptation strategies to deal with climate change, namely applying multiple cropping systems, developing organic agriculture, growing vegetables under plastic shelters, and expanding a vegetable nursery as an alternative source of income. Farmers cultivated extra crops in the wet season due to abundant water availability. Organic vegetable farming, which began in 2013, from the higher value of the benefit-cost ratio, was more profitable than non-organic farming. Besides, organic farming’s land quality was also better based on organic carbon (C-organic), Nitrogen (N), Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), and other nutrients. Therefore this study recommended to develop organic vegetable farming on a broader scale and seriously support farmers’ vegetable nursery business, since it was profitable, contributed significant income for farmers, and strategic for vegetable farming industries development.