FARMERS’ KNOWLEDGE ON ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN RELATION TO AGRICULTURE

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine the selected characteristics of the farmers, to determine the extent of farmers’ knowledge on adverse effects of climate change in agriculture; and to find out the contribution of the selected characteristics of the farmers’ to their knowledge on adverse effects of climate change in agriculture. The study was conducted with randomly selected 93 farmers in Gaila and Bakal unions under Agailjhara upazila of Barishal district. A pre-tested interview schedule was used to collect data from the respondents during 15 0ctober to 30 October,2019. Farmers’ knowledge on adverse effects of climate change in agriculture was the main focus of the study. Eleven selected characteristics of the respondents contributed the independent variables of the study. Stepwise multiple regression was used to examine the contribution of the selected characteristics of the farmers to their knowledge on adverse effects of climate change in agriculture. The highest proportion (58.0 percent) of the respondents had medium knowledge on adverse effects of climate change in agriculture, while 23.7 percent had low knowledge on adverse effects of climate change in agriculture and the rest 18.3 percent had high knowledge on adverse effects of climate change in agriculture. Five characteristics of the respondent’s viz. access to ICTs ,education, farming experience of the farmers, use of climate smart agricultural technologies, agricultural extension media contact had significant positive contribution to their knowledge on adverse effects of climate change in agriculture. Age, family size, farm size, annual family income, organizational participation, and access to information on climate change of the farmers had non-significant positive contribution to their knowledge on adverse effects of climate change in agriculture.