Climate Change Perceptions and Constraints Faced by Dairy Farmers in Drought Prone Areas of Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

The consequences of climate change are continuously increasing, constituting a major threat to livestock production, which are in the form of extreme high temperatures, drought, intensive rainfall and floods. These weather events impact dairy production significantly leading to reduced milk production, lowered milk quality and decreased reproductive performance. The aim of this study is to assess the perception of dairy farmers about climate change and the constraints faced by the dairy farmers in drought prone areas due to climate variability. The variables considered in the climate change perception study were temperature and rainfall while the social, technological,  communication, institutional and financial variables were taken in the constraints category. The primary data were collected from 180 small holder dairy farmers from three districts of Tamil Nadu through a pre-tested structured interview schedule. The results revealed that 88.33 per cent of the respondents were aware about climate change phenomenon and about 59.44 per cent were aware about the predictability of climate change. About 77.22 per cent and 68.33 per cent of the respondents were aware about increase in temperature and time of onset of monsoons respectively. The significant constraints perceived by dairy farmers due to climate change were limited awareness on adaptation practices and inadequate knowledge regarding climate related risks and mitigation measures. The other notable constraints expressed by the dairy farmers were limited availability of feed and fodder, limited market access for inputs during drought and limited availability of grazing land. The results of this study have implications for policy makers and researchers in the dairy sector which will aid in framing policies and develop interventions to tackle drought and to improve dairy development activities.