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Smallholder Farmers’ Perceptions on Climate Change and the Use of Sustainable Agricultural Practices in the Chinyanja Triangle, Southern Africa

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Title Smallholder Farmers’ Perceptions on Climate Change and the Use of Sustainable Agricultural Practices in the Chinyanja Triangle, Southern Africa
 
Creator Makate, Clifton
Makate, Marshall
Mango, Nelson
 
Subject CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION
FARMERS
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
SMALLHOLDERS
ADAPTACIÓN AL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO
AGRICULTURA SOSTENIBLE
 
Description In developing regions with high levels of poverty and a dependence on climate sensitive agriculture, studies focusing on climate change adaptation, planning, and policy processes, have gained relative importance over the years. This study assesses the impact of farmer perceptions regarding climate change on the use of sustainable agricultural practices as an adaptation strategy in the Chinyanja Triangle, Southern Africa. In this empirical approach, we adopt methods that account for the plausibility that unmeasured characteristics exist, which are correlated with perceptions and the adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices. We use a unique and representative dataset collected in December 2012 and June 2013, from smallholder farmers in the Chinyanja Triangle.
The results indicate that farmer’s perceptions significantly influence the use of sustainable agricultural practices. Specifically, we established that farmer perceptions considerably impact the use of grain legume rotations, inorganic fertilizers, compost, and farmyard manure. Our results highlight the need for a serious and perhaps equal consideration of farmer perceptions regarding climate change, as important inputs to climate change adaptation policies targeted at enhancing climatic resilience in smallholder farming communities. This is plausible as the adaptation and pliability of farmers to the effects of climate change should be a social process involving the collective efforts from various stakeholders.
Peer Review
 
Date 2017-03-21T21:19:47Z
2017-03-21T21:19:47Z
2017
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Makate, Clifton; Makate, Marshall; Mango, Nelson. 2017. Smallholder Farmers’ Perceptions on Climate Change and the Use of Sustainable Agricultural Practices in the Chinyanja Triangle, Southern Africa. Social Sciences. 6(1): 30.
2076-0760
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/80447
 
Language en
 
Format 6(1): 30
 
Publisher M D P I AG
 
Source Social Sciences