An Approach to Assessing Farm-Scale Adaptation to Climate Change: The Case Study of Prespa Park
Abstract
Developing appropriate adaptation practices and coping mechanisms for climate change and evaluating the variables affecting households’ choices are critical for ensuring sustainable agricultural production. In addressing the above issues, this paper presents the results of a multi-method approach at the farm level conducted in the case study of Prespa Park. The data collected by a participatory process were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the 5-point Likert scale, the Delphi method, and a multinomial logit model. The typology of coping and adaptation practices to climate change preferred by households and the reasons for those who failed to adapt are presented. Results revealed that improving technologies for increasing soil health was the most preferred adaptation practice, followed by planting early maturing and drought-tolerant food crop varieties, practicing water-saving irrigation methods or technologies, planting agroforestry systems, and finally perennial agriculture. In terms of coping mechanisms, engaging in off-farm activities was the most used, followed by collecting fuel wood for sale, selling assets like livestock, increasing water storage capacity, and changing farming structure. Small farm holdings, financial constraints, limited off-farm employment opportunities, inadequate infrastructure and technology, and a lack of information about adaptation practices were identified as the main barriers to undertaking adaptation. Performing the multinomial logit analysis, the variables that positively and significantly improve households' ability to adapt to climate change were identified and evaluated. The results of this study should help policymakers and climate change planners come up with better practices for the agricultural sector to adapt to the effects of climate change.
References
[2] Adger, W.N., Huq, S., Brown, K., Conway, D., and Hulme, M. 2003. Adaptation to climate change in the developing world. Progress in Development Studies, 3: 179–195. DOI: 10.1191/1464993403ps060oa
[3] Agrawala, S., and Fankhauser, S. 2008. Economic Aspects of Adaptation to Climate Change: Costs, Benefits and Policy Instruments. Paris, France: OECD, 138 pp.
[4] Al-Ghobari, M.H., and Dewidar, Z.A. 2018. Deficit irrigation and irrigation methods as on-farm strategies to maximize crop water productivity in dry areas. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 9(2): 399–409. DOI:https://doi.org/10.2166/wcc.2017.014
[5] Alvi, S., and Jamil, F. 2018. Impact of Climate Change and Technology Adoption on Cereal Yields in South Asian Countries. European Journal of Sustainable Development, 7(3): 237–246. DOI:https://doi.org/10.14207/ejsd.2018.v7n3p237
[6] Anik, A.R., Rahman, S., Sarker, J.R., and Hasan, M.A. 2021. Farmers’ adaptation strategies to combat climate change in drought prone areas in Bangladesh. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 65: 102562. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102562
[7] Aryal, J.P., et al. 2020. Climate change and agriculture in South Asia: adaptation options in smallholder production systems. Environ Dev Sustain, 22: 5045–5075. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-019-00414-4
[8] Aymone, G.G. 2009. Understanding farmers’ perceptions and adaptation to climate change and variability: The case of the Limpopo basin, South Africa. IFPRI Discussion paper 00849, Washington DC.: International Food Policy Research Institute, USA, 36 pp.
[9] Belay, A., Recha, J.W., Woldeamanuel, T., and Morton, J.F. 2017. Smallholder farmers’ adaptation to climate change and determinants of their adaptation decisions in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. Agriculture & Food Security, 6(1): 24.
[10] Below, T. B., et al. 2012. Can farmers’ adaptation to climate change be explained by socio-economic household-level variables? Global Environmental Change, 22: 223-235. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2011.11.012
[11] Belsley, D.A., Kuh, E., and Welsch, R.E. 1980. Regression Diagnostics: Identifying Influential Data and Sources of Collinearity. New York, USA: John Wiley & Sons, 298 pp.
[12] Berrang-Ford, L., Ford, J.D., and Paterson, J. 2011. Are we adapting to climate change? Global Environmental Change, 21: 25–33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2010.09.012
[13] Bradshaw, B., Dolan, H., and Smit, B. 2004. Farm-level adaptation to climatic variability and change: Crop diversification in the Canadian Prairies. Climate Change, 67: 119–141. DOI: 10.1007/s10584-004-0710-z
[14] Brooks, N.W., Adger, N., and Kelly, P.M. 2005. The determinants of vulnerability and adaptive capacity at the national level and the implications for adaptation. Global Envron. Change, 15: 151–163. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2004.12.006
[15] Brouwer, R., and Akter, S. 2010. Informing micro insurance contract design to mitigate climate change catastrophe risks using choice experiments. Environ. Hazards, 9(1): 74–88.
[16] Chimbwera, M. 2010. Climate change adaptation in developing countries: Issues and Perspectives for Economic Analysis. London, UK: IIED, 40 pp.
[17] De Boni, A., D’Amico, A., Acciani, C., and Roma, R. 2022. Crop Diversification and Resilience of Drought-Resistant Species in Semi-Arid Areas: An Economic and Environmental Analysis. Sustainability, 14(15): 9552. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159552
[18] De Frutos, C.J., Gobin, A., and Buysse, J. 2018. Farm-level adaptation to climate change: the case of the Loam region in Belgium. Agricultural Systems, 165: 164–176. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2018.06.007
[19] De Gryze, S., Albarracin, M.V., Català-Luque, R., Howitt, R.E., and Six, J. 2009. Modelling shows that alternative soil management can decrease greenhouse gases. California Agriculture, 63: 84–90.
[20] Deressa, T.T., Hassan, R.M., Ringler, C., Alemu, T., and Yesuf, M. 2009. Determinants of farmers’ choice of adaptation methods to climate change in the Nile Basin of Ethiopia. Global Environmental Change, 19(2): 248–255. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2009.01.002
[21] Di Falco, S., Veronesi, M., and Yesuf, M. 2011. Does adaptation to climate change provide food security? A micro-perspective from Ethiopia. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 93: 829–846. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/ajae/aar006
[22] Dillman, D.A., Smyth, J.D., and Christian, L.M. 2007. Mail and Internet Survey – The Tailored Design Method (second ed). New York, USA: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 512 pp.
[23] Dolisca, F., Carter, R.D., McDaniel, J.M., Shannon, D.A., and Jolly, C.M. 2006. Factors influencing farmers’ participation in forestry management programs: A case study from Haiti. Forest Ecology and Management, 236: 324–31. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2006.09.017
[24] Elias, E.H., et al. 2019. Crop vulnerability to weather and climate risk: analysis of interacting systems and adaptation efficacy for sustainable crop production. Sustainability, 11(23): 6619. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236619
[25] Eriksen, S.H., Brown, K., and Kelly, P.M. 2005. The dynamics of vulnerability: Locating coping strategies in Kenya and Tanzania. Geographical Journal, 171: 287–305. DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4959.2005.00174.x
[26] Ertl, P., Klocker, H., Hörtenhuber, S., Knaus, W., and Zollitsch, W. 2015. The net contribution of dairy production to human food supply: The case of Austrian dairy farms. Agricultural Systems, 137: 19–25. DOI:10.1016/j.agsy.2015.04.004
[27] Faisal, M., et al. 2021. Assessing small livestock herders’ adaptation to climate variability and its impact on livestock losses and poverty. Climate Risk Management, 34: 100358. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crm.2021.100358
[28] Finger, R., Hediger, W., and Schmid, S. 2011. Irrigation as adaptation strategy to climate change - a biophysical and economic appraisal for Swiss maize production. Climatic Change, 105: 509–528. DOI:10.1007/S10584-010-9931-5
[29] Fink, A. 2013. How to Conduct Surveys: A Step-by-Step Guide (sixth ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA. USA: Sage Publications Inc., 224 pp.
[30] Foudi, S., and Erdlenbruch, K. 2012. The Role of Irrigation in Farmers' Risk Management Strategies in France. European Review of Agricultural Economics, 39(3). DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/erae/jbr024
[31] Giannakis, E., Efstratoglou, S., and Antoniades, A. 2018. Off-Farm Employment and Economic Crisis: Evidence from Cyprus. Agriculture, 8(3): 41. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture8030041
[32] Glover, J.D., and Reganold, J.P. 2010. Perennial grains: Food security for the future. Issues in Science and Technology, 26(2): 41–47.
[33] Glover, J.D., Reganold, J.P., and Cox, C.M. 2012. Agriculture: Plant perennials to save Africa’s soils. Nature, 489(7416): 359–361. DOI: 10.1038/489359a
[34] Grazhdani, D. 2024. Results of two non-market valuation methods used to estimate recreational fishing in the Lakes Prespa watershed. Journal of environment management and tourism, 15(1): 52–68. DOI:https://doi.org/10.14505/jemt.v15.1(73).05
[35] Grazhdani, D. 2014a. Integrating ecosystem services into assessment of different management options in a protected area: a deliberate multi-criteria decision analysis approach. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 20(6): 1311–1319.
[36] Grazhdani, D. 2014b. Estimating residents’ willing to pay using contingent valuation for ecological restoration and recreational benefits of AL-Prespa protected area in Albania. Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, 12(3&4): 132–137.
[37] Grazhdani, D. 2014c. An approach for assessing ecosystem services with application in a protected area case study: Al-Prespa. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 20: 118–124.
[38] Grazhdani, D. 2015. Contingent valuation of residents’ attitudes and willingness-to-pay for non-point source pollution control: a case study in Prespa Park, Southeastern Albania. Environmental Management, 56(1): 81–93. DOI: 10.1007/s00267-015-0480-6
[39] Grazhdani, D. 2016. Assessing the variables affecting the rate of solid waste generation and recycling: An empirical analysis in Prespa Park. Waste Management, 48: 3–13. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2015.09.028
[40] Grazhdani, D., Grazhdani, S., and Shehu, D. 2010. Environment, socio-economic development and sustainability in Albanian part of Prespa Park. Annals of Agriculture, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Biotechnologies, University of Targoviste, Romania, 5: 32–41.
[41] Green, W. 2008. Econometric Analysis (6th ed.). New Jersey, USA: Prentice Hall, 1178 pp.
[42] Hausman, J, and McFadden, D. 1984. Specification tests for the multinomial logit model. Econometrica, 52(5): 1219–1240. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1910997
[43] Holt-Giménez, E., and Altieri, M.A. 2013. Agroecology, food sovereignty, and the new green revolution. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 37 (1): 90–102. DOI:10.1080/10440046.2012.716388
[44] Iglesias, A., Garrote, L., Quiroga, S., and Moneo, M. 2012. From climate change impacts to the development of adaptation strategies: Challenges for agriculture in Europe. Clim. Chang., 112: 143–168. DOI:10.1007/s10584-011-0344-x
[45] Kahil, M. T., Connor, J. D., and Albiac, J. 2015. Efficient water management policies for irrigation adaptation to climate change in Southern Europe. Ecological Economics, 120: 226–233. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.11.004
[46] Kandlinkar, M., and Risbey, J. 2000. Agricultural impacts of climate change: If adaptation is the answer, what is the question? Climate Change, 45: 429–439.
[47] Karlsson, J., Spörndly, R., Lindberg, M., and Holtenius, K. 2018. Replacing human-edible feed ingredients with by-products increases net food production efficiency in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 101(8): 7146–55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-14209
[48] Kates, R.W., Travis, W.R., and Wilbanks, T.J. 2012. Transformational adaptation when incremental adaptations to climate change are insufficient. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 109: 7156–7161. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1115521109
[49] Kebede, A., Kang, M.S., and Bekele, E. 2019. Advances in mechanisms of drought tolerance crops, with emphasis on barley. Advances in Agronomy, 156: 265–314. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.agron.2019.01.008
[50] Klein, T., Holzkämper, A., Calanca, P., Seppelt, R., and Fuhrer, J. 2013. Adapting agricultural land management to climate change: a regional multi-objective optimization approach. Landscape Ecology, 28(10): 2029–2047. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-013-9939-0
[51] Krishnan, P., Ramakrishnan, B., Reddy, K.R., and Reddy, V.R. 2011. High-temperature effects on rice growth, yield, and grain quality. In: Sparks, D.L. (ed) Advances in Agronomy, vol 111. Burlington, Vermont, USA: Academic Press, pp. 87–206. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-387689-8.00004-7
[52] Lamichhane, P., Miller, K.K., Hadjikakou, M., and Bryan, B.A. 2020. Resilience of smallholder cropping to climatic variability. Science of Total Environment, 719: 137464. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137464
[53] Lane, D., et al. 2018. Climate change and agriculture in New York and Pennsylvania: risk perceptions, vulnerability and adaptation among farmers. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 33(3): 197–205. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170517000710
[54] Liu, X., Lehtonen, H., Purola, T., Pavlova, Y., Rotter, R., and Palosuo, T. 2016. Dynamic economic modelling of crop rotations with farm management practices under future pest pressure. Agricultural Systems, 144: 65–76. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2015.12.003
[55] Lobell, D., Burke, M., Tebaldi, C., Mastrandrea, M., Falcon, W., and Naylor, R. 2008. Prioritizing Climate Change Adaptation Needs for Food Security in 2030. Science, 319: 607–610. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1152339
[56] Luedeling, E., et al. 2016. Field-scale modeling of tree–crop interactions: Challenges and development needs. Agricultural Systems: 51–69. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2015.11.005
[57] Luquet, D., Vidal, A., Smith, M., and Dauzat, J. 2005. ‘More crop per drop’: how to make it acceptable for farmers? Agricultural Water Management, 76(2): 108–119. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2005.01.011
[58] Mandryk, M. 2016. Integrated assessment of farm level adaptation to climate change in agriculture – An application to Flevoland, The Netherlands. PhD thesis, Wageningen University, 155 pp.
[59] Marie, M., Yirga, F., Haile, M., and Tquabo, F. 2020. Farmers’ choices and factors affecting adoption of climate change adaptation strategies: evidence from north-western Ethiopia. Heliyon, 6(4): e03867.
[60] Markovic, D., Carrizo, S.F., Kärcher, O., Walz, A., and David, J.N.W. 2017. Vulnerability of European freshwater catchments to climate change. Global Change Biology, 23: 3567–3580. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13657
[61] Masud, M.M., et al. 2017. Adaptation barriers and strategies towards climate change: Challenges in the agricultural sector. Journal of Cleaner Production, 156: 698–706. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.04.060
[62] McCord, P.F., Cox, M., Schmitt-Harsh, M., and Evans, T. 2015. Crop diversification as a smallholder livelihood strategy within semi-arid agricultural systems near Mount Kenya. Land Use Policy, 42: 738–750. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2014.10.012
[63] McNamara, K.T. Wetzstein, M.E., and Douce, G.K. 1991. Factors affecting peanut producer adoption of integrated pest management. Review of agricultural Economics, 13: 129–139. DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/1349563
[64] Miles, J., and Shevlin, M. 2001. Applying Regression and Correlation: A Guide for Students and Researchers. London, England: Sage Publications, 253 pp.
[65] Mozny, M., Tolasz, R., Nekovar, J., Sparks, T., Trnka, M., and Zalud, Z. 2009. The impact of climate change on the yield and quality of Saaz hops in the Czech Republic. Agric. For Meteorol., 149: 913–919. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2009.02.006
[66] Murthy, I.K., Dutta, S., Varghese, V., and Kumar, P. 2016. Impact of Agroforestry Systems on Ecological. Glob. J. Sci. Front. Res., 16: 15–28.
[67] Nardi, P.M. 2013. Doing Survey Research: A Guide to Quantitative Methods (third ed.). New York, USA: Routledge, 274 pp.
[68] Nicholas, K.A., and Durham, W.H. 2012. Farm-scale adaptation and vulnerability to environmental stresses: insights from winegrowing in Northern California. Global Environmental Change, 22(2): 483 - 494.
[69] Niles, M.T., Brown, M., and Dynes, R. 2016. Farmer’s intended and actual adoption of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Climatic Change, 135(2): 277–295. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-015-1558-0
[70] Norris, E., and Batie, S. 1987. Virginia farmers’ soil conservation decisions: an application of Tobit analysis. Southern journal of Agricultural Economics, 19(1): 89–97. DOI: 0.22004/ag.econ.29310
[71] Obayelu, O.A., Adepoju, A.O., and Idowu, T. 2014. Factors influencing farmers’ choices of adaptation to climate change in Ekiti State, Nigeria. J Agric Environ Int Dev., 108(1): 3–16.
[72] Oelbermann, M., and Smith, C.E. 2011. Climate Change Adaptation using Agroforestry Practices: A Case Study from Costa Rica. In: Casalegno, S., Global Warming Impacts—Case Studies on the Economy, Human Health, and on Urban and Natural Environments. InTech, London, UK, pp. 125–138.
[73] Olesen, J.E., et al. 2011. Impacts and adaptation of European crop production systems to climate change. European Journal of Agronomy, 34(2): 96–112. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2010.11.003
[74] Park, H.M. 2009. Linear regression models for panel data using SAS, Stata, LIMDEP, and SPSS. University Information Technology Services (UITS) Working Paper. University Information Technology Service Center for Statistical and Mathematical Computing, Indiana University, 93 pp.
[75] Patnaik, U., and Das, K.P. 2017. Do development interventions confer adaptive capacity? Insights from rural India. World Development, 97: 298–312. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.04.017
[76] Pattanayak, S.K., Mercer, D.E., Sills, E., and Jui-Chen, Y. 2003. Taking stock of agroforestry adoption studies. Agroforestry Systems, 57(3): 173–186. DOI: 10.1023/A:1024809108210
[77] Ponce, C. 2020. Inter-seasonal climate variability and crop diversification strategies in the Peruvian Andes: A word of caution on the sustainability of adaptation to climate change. World Development, 127: 104740. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.104740
[78] Reynolds, J., et al. 2021. An agroecological vision of perennial agriculture. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 45: 1470–1479. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2021.1918313
[79] Rodriguez, D., Cox, H., deVoil, P., and Power, B. 2014. A participatory whole farm modelling approach to understand impacts and increase preparedness to climate change in Australia. Agricultural Systems, 126: 50–61. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2013.04.003
[80] Roesch-McNally, G., Garrett, A., and Fery, M. 2020. Assessing perceptions of climate risk and adaptation among small farmers in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 35(6): 626–30. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170519000267
[81] Rosenzweig, C., and Tubiello, F. 2007. Adaptation and mitigation strategies in agriculture: an analysis of potential synergies. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 12: 855–873.
[82] Sani, S., and Chalchisa, T. 2016. Farmers’ Perception, Impact and Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change among Smallholder Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review. J. Ressour. Dev. Manag, 26: 1–8.
[83] Satishkumar, N., Tevari, P., and Singh, A.A. 2013. A Study on Constraints Faced by Farmers in Adapting to Climate Change in Rain fed Agriculture. Journal of Hum. Ecology, 44(1): 23–28.
[84] Schattman, R.E., Caswell, M., and Faulkner, J.W. 2021. Eyes on the horizon: temporal and social perspectives of climate risk and agricultural decision making among climate-informed farmers. Society & Natural Resources, 34: 765–84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2021.1894283
[85] Shrestha, S., Ciaian, B., Himics, M., and van Doorslaer, B. 2013. Impacts of climate change on EU agriculture. Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 16: 24–39.
[86] Skulmoski, G.J., Hartman, F.T., and Krahn, J. 2007. The Delphi method for graduate research. J. Inf. Technol. Educ., 6: 1–21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.28945/199
[87] Smit, B., and Skinner, M.W. 2002. Adaptations options in agriculture to climate change: A typology. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 7: 85–114.
[88] Smit, B., and Wandel, J. 2006. Adaptation, adaptive capacity and vulnerability. Global Environmental Change, 16(3): 282–92. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2006.03.008
[89] Tol, R.S.J., Downing, T.E., Kuik, O.J., and Smith, J.B. 2004. Distributional aspects of climate change impacts. Global Environmental Change, 14: 259–72.
[90] Tse, Y.K. 1987. A diagnostic test for the multinomial logit model. Journal of Business and Economic Statistics, 5 (2): 283–86.
[91] Ureta, C., et al. 2020. Maize yield in Mexico under climate change. Agricultural Systems, 177: 102697. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2019.102697
[92] van Dijl, E.A., Grogan, K.A. and Borisova, T. 2015. Determinants of adoption of drought adaptations among vegetable growers in Florida. Journal of Soils and Water Conservation, 70(4): 218–31. DOI:https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.70.4.218
[93] Walford, N. 1995. Geographical Data Analysis. New York, USA: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 458 pp.
[94] Wegayehu, B., and Drake, L. 2003. Soil and water conservation decision behavior of subsistence farmers in the Eastern Highlands of Ethiopia: A case study of the Hunde Lafto area. Ecological Economics, 46: 437–51.
[95] Wood, S.A., Jina, A.S., Jain M., Kristjanson, P., and DeFries, R.S. 2014. Smallholder farmer cropping decisions related to climate variability across multiple regions. Glob. Environ. Chang., 25: 163–172. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2013.12.011
[96] Zoysa, M.D., and Inoue, M. 2014. Climate Change Impacts, Agroforestry Adaptation and Policy Environment in Sri Lanka. Open Journal of Forestry, 4: 439–456. DOI: 10.4236/ojf.2014.45049
[97] AcaStat, Software. 2014. Pearson Correlation. AcaStat Software: Research Tools and Instructional Aids. Retrieved April 2014, from http://www.acastat.com/Statbook/correlation.htm
[98] IPCC. 2014. Climate change 2014: Impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Part A: Global and sectoral aspects. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
[99] StataCorp. 2023. Stata Statistical Software: Release 18. College Station, TX, USA: StataCorp LLC.
Copyright© 2024 The Author(s). Published by ASERS Publishing 2024. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of CC-BY 4.0 license.