Unveiling Climate Resilience of Peri-urban Agriculture: A Farming System-Based Assessment of Coastal Plains of Kerala, India

Abstract

Peri-urban agriculture is characterized by dynamic and synergistic interactions between urbanization and agricultural activities, making them pivotal for both food production and industries. However, one of the major concerns affecting its sustainability is climate change. One way to cope with climate change is to build resilience by identifying key areas that are most at risk, allowing for targeted interventions. With this objective, a study was conducted during the period 2019-2023, to assess the climate resilience of peri-urban agriculture in six agro-ecological units (AEUs) of Coastal plains, through the development of Climate Resilience Index (CRI). Data was collected through focus group discussions, personal and key informant interviews with farmers, and discussions with extension personnel. CRI was developed as the function of three dimensions- absorptive, adaptive, and transformative capacities, assessed in terms of 72 indicators. Absorptive and transformative capacities (0.592 and 0.568 respectively) contributed the most to the mean CRI of coastal plains (0.563). The major determinants contributing to better climate resilience of farmers included water sufficiency, lesser recovery time, better access to basic services, sustainable practices adopted, and other socio-economic and psychological characteristics. This research provides valuable information to enhance the resilience of per-urban agriculture considering the challenges of climate change.