FARMER’S PERCEPTIONS REGARDING NATURAL HAZARDS IN COTTON-WHEAT CROPPING SYSTEM OF PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The present research study was conducted during 2020 in Institute of Agricultural Resource Economics, University of Agricutlure, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan to measure the farmers’ understanding regarding the impact of Climatic and Natural Hazards (CNHs) in the CottonWheat Cropping System of Punjab, Pakistan. The study also ranked the impact of climatic and natural hazards. The primary data were collected from 540 farmers of Punjab, Pakistan’s major cotton-growing districts. Questions regarding CNHs were inquired by using the Likert Scale (one being the strongly disagree and five strongly agree). Using descriptive statistics, the influence of climate and natural risks on agricultural yield was assessed. The replies were grouped into percentages and graphs. Approximately 61% of farmers strongly agreed that floods and droughts reduced agricultural yield. Moreover, 56% of respondents strongly agreed that frost, hailstorms and excessive heat harm agricultural output. In addition, 65 percent strongly agreed that biological illnesses, extreme cold, winter and summer winds, fog, smog, heatwaves, humidity, typhoons, and insect infestations had negative consequences. The impact of frequent rain was ranked as first by the farmers. In contrast, biological illnesses, hailstorms, bug infestations, floods and droughts, late rains, intense heat and frost, summer and winter wind storms, typhon, early showers and extreme cold were ranked 2nd through 17th. It was concluded that majority of farmers well aware of the climatic and natural hazards. Educating farmers on the impacts of CNHs on agricultural productivity was proposed.