Analyzing Cotton Growers Profile and Their Perceptions towards Climate Change Impacts on Cotton Cultivation

Abstract

Climate change affects cotton cultivation through changes in temperature, rainfall, soil moisture, pest pressure, yield stability, and farm-level decisions. This study analysed the profile characteristics of cotton growers and their perceptions of the impacts of climate change on cotton cultivation in the Nalgonda region of Telangana. An ex post facto research design was used. Two tehsils were purposively selected on the basis of cotton area, five villages were selected from each tehsil, and 14 cotton growers were selected from each village through simple random sampling, resulting in a sample of 140 respondents. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule and analysed using the mean, standard deviation, and correlation coefficient. Most respondents were middle-aged and had medium levels of farming experience, annual income, area under cotton cultivation, social participation, scientific orientation, extension participation, and mass-media exposure. Regarding overall perception, 65.00% of respondents had a medium level, 20.00% had a low level, and 15.00% had a high level of perception of climate-change impacts on cotton. Growers more readily recognised direct climatic manifestations, including unpredictable monsoons, uneven rainfall, prolonged dry spells, rising temperatures, pest and disease incidence, and income losses. Recognition was comparatively lower for indirect and management-related effects. The findings indicate a need for locally relevant extension support that strengthens growers’ understanding of climate-related crop, soil, pest, irrigation, quality, and income risks.