Climate shocks and responses: Perspectives and experiences of ethnic minority farmers in rural mountainous regions of Central Vietnam

Abstract

Ethnic minority farmers (EMFs) in upland areas of Central Vietnam are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate shocks and extreme events. It is thus urgent to examine their perceptions of the potential risks, their coping strategies, and the factors influencing their adaptation decisions in agriculture production. By exploring adaptation measures of the Xo Dang and Co Tu EMFs in Quang Nam province, Central Vietnam, the study results reveal that the EMFs are increasingly conscious of local climate shocks in the recent decade; as a result, they have applied multiple specific strategies in agriculture production to mitigate risks. The findings indicate that the key variables of the age of the household head, income, household size, residence period at the locality, and farmers' perception of climate change significantly influenced the households’ adaptation decisions. Recognizing this, the study proposed specific recommendations and policy implications to minimize risks while maximizing benefits for the EMFs.