Does local cognition of climate change really matters in adaptation: farmer perspectives

Abstract

ABSTRACT An understanding of how local knowledge of climate change converges with science-based assessment is important to effectively support adaptation decision making. This study explores farmers’ cognition of climate change and their adaptation in Ethiopia. Household and community level data on socio-economic, institutional, climatic and adaptation variables were collected. In addition, we obtained long-term historical meteorological data from local weather stations for consecutive 31 years. Mean and percentage computation, chi-square test, standard precipitation index and qualitative content methods were applied for data analysis. The analytical results of obtained past weather data revealed that the climate parameters have significantly changed over time, and highly varied across locations and these variations were substantiated by farmers’ experiences. There is a high level of agreement between climatological data and farmers’ observation that the onset of the rainy season is now shifting markedly, accompanied by an increasing dry spell with greater implication for rainfed systems. In contrast, there is a significant divergence concerning the length of the growing season which is explained by the strong influence of the onset rather than end of the rainy season. As a result, a range of strategies were implemented by farmers to fight against climate change dynamics, short to long term. The study concluded how diversification of climate communication outlets by combining local cognition can play a unique role in promoting risk communication. As a result, risk cognition as a function of socio-psychological factor should be combined into comprehensive science-based consensus that impact decision making.