Climate change perception and adaptation strategies to multiple climatic hazards: Evidence from the northeast of Thailand

Abstract

Thailand is highly susceptible to climate variability and change, driven by the escalating occurrence of natural hazards. Certain regions of the country, especially in the northeast, continue to endure food insecurity as a consequence of these climatic hazards. While numerous studies have already investigated the interlinkages between natural hazards and food security, there is limited evidence regarding local perceptions of climate change and specific adaptation strategies in this region. Therefore, we conducted a household survey in four districts across the Mahasarakham province in Thailand's northeast, with a total sample size of 400 households, where 80% of the area is outside of the provincial irrigation system. Survey data on climate change perception and adaptation were analysed using descriptive statistics and a series of binary logistic regressions. The results show that over the last 20 years, 96.9% of all farmers perceived changes in climate and that television and radio were the major sources of climate change information. Most of the farmers attempted to adopt agricultural practices, such as buying insurance, borrowing money, or applying for credits and loans (22.4%), followed by increasing the amount of fertilizer usage (18.6%), changing cropping patterns (12.4%), and starting off-farm activities (11.3%). The results of regression modelling show that dependency ratio, geographical location, current engagement in labor and agriculture, knowledge of climate change and global warming, and perceived benefits from new kinds of plants/technologies are the main predictors of adaptation choices. Overall, knowledge of climate change and global warming is more likely to influence the shift to off-farm jobs and activities (OR = 1.55, p < 0.01) and participation in community-based natural resource management activities (OR = 1.90, p < 0.01). In addition, the farmers who already work as laborers are typically more likely to shift to off-farm jobs and off-farm activities (OR = 4.64, p < 0.01) and temporary migration (OR = 20.03, p < 0.01). This evidence may contribute to creating holistic local development plans that could further enhance the economic well-being of the farming households.