Development of Perceived Climate Change Impact on Farmers' Livelihood Security Index: An Index to Assess Farmers’ Perception of Climate Change Impact on Livelihood Security in India

Abstract

Climate change poses a substantial threat to agricultural systems and rural livelihoods. This study develops and validates the Perceived Climate Change Impact on Farmers' Livelihood Security Index (PCCLSI) to systematically assess farmers’ perceptions of climate change and its impact on their livelihood security. Five core dimensions—food security, economic security, health security, educational security, and ecological security—were identified through literature review and expert consultation. Guilford’s (1954) Normalized Rank Order Method was applied to assign relative weights to each indicator based on the rankings provided by 62 subject matter experts. Food security emerged as the most influential factor, followed by economic and health security. A total of 44 perception-based statements were finalized after rigorous item selection and relevancy testing using expert ratings. The index demonstrated strong content and construct validity, making it a reliable tool for assessing how climate change affects key aspects of farmers' well-being.