Climate change effects on irrigated agriculture: perspectives from agricultural producers in eastern Uzbekistan

Abstract

Sustainability of irrigated agricultural development has been severely impacted by global climate change in recent decades, which is among the main environmental and economic problems facing the world community. The article presents the results of the research conducted in selected areas of irrigated agriculture in eastern Uzbekistan to study the impact of climate change on agricultural production and the agricultural producer’s perspective and awareness. Major factors affecting agricultural producers’ behavior under climate change and their current practices and skills for adapting to climate change were studied. The field study has been conducted in 9 districts located in two regions of the Ferghana valley. The respondents-representatives of agricultural producers selected from the list of Farmer’s Associations members taking their location relative to irrigation water sources into account. Quantitative analysis of data carried out with the use of SPSS-22 software. As the research results show, the impact of climate change on irrigated agriculture has become incredibly tangible in the last decade. It affected the situation with losses in yields of up to 16% and decreasing the quality of agricultural products. The rural population’s vulnerability factors include low income from agriculture, acute dependence on irrigation in conditions of increasing water scarcity, low level of applied technologies, adaptation measures, low yields, land degradation, etc. Analysis of the research results, and other related studies on this issue, allows us to indicate directions for improving adaptation measures in the short, medium, and long-term periods.