More than two decades of climate change alarm: Farmers knowledge, attitudes and perceptions

Abstract

We conducted a questionnaire survey to assess farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and perceived threats of climate change. The findings show that the farmers are generally aware of direct and observable causes of climate change and the main impacts of climate change on agriculture but are not clear about the interconnections between the natural environment and farm management activities that result in climate change. This observation maybe explained by the fact that farmers rarely obtain information from accurate sources. Analysis of results showed that knowledge and attitudes towards climate change are influenced by gender, age and education. The results suggest the need to shape farmers’ attitudes/perceptions about climate change through participatory formulation and implementation of policies and the need to spread information through social networks. The roles and behaviors which individuals and organization can feasibly implement should be ascertained to increase adoption of actions that support formal and informal institutional arrangements. \r\r\t \r\r\tKey words: knowledge, attitudes and behavior/ practices (KAP), survey, anthropogenic activities, livelihoods, climate change, agriculture.