Association between Profile of Farmers and Their Vulnerability toward Climate Change in South Gujarat, India

Abstract

Climate change has emerged as one of the most persistent global challenges affecting the farmers in developing countries like India especially the small and marginal farmers whose primary source of livelihood is agriculture. They are most vulnerable to climate change due to their high dependence on natural resources, limited adaptive capacity, lack of access to modern technology, financial support and timely information. This study aims to assess the vulnerability of farmers due to climate change and their association with a focus on socio-economic, environmental and institutional factors. The present study was conducted in Navsari, Surat and Tapi districts of South Gujarat using ex-post facto research design. From each district, three talukas were selected and from each taluka two villages were selected. From each village 15 respondents were selected randomly comprising a total of 270 respondents. It was found that the majority (72.22 %) of the farmers had medium to high level of vulnerability towards climate change. Age and farming experience had positively associated at five per cent level of significance while, extension contacts is positively and significantly associated with the vulnerability of farmers toward climate change relationship at one per cent level of significance. Annual income has negatively associated with the vulnerability of farmers toward climate change at five per cent level of significance whereas social participation and decision making ability is negatively associated with the vulnerability of farmers toward climate change at five per cent level of significance. Social participation, extension contacts and decision making ability were accounting about 15.10 per cent variation on the vulnerability of farmers toward climate change.