Perception of Farmers towards Climate Change Impact on Agriculture Production and Adaptation Practices in Pokhara

Abstract

Climate change has become serious problem which has threatened human civilization in many ways. Although adaptation practices against climate change impact have been explored into practice in massive scale, the impact of climate change in agriculture production is challenging. This study aims to explore the farmers’ perception towards climate change impact on agriculture production and adaptation practices in Pokhara. For this purpose, two wards (30 and 33) of Pokhara were selected purposively. Out of 3,982 households in these wards, 216 households (at 6.5% margin of error and 5% level of significance) were selected for the information collection. Then the information was collected by using structured questionnaire through interview techniques with household head or a household member having age 40 years and over and residing in that locality for last 10 years. A systematic sampling technique was carried out to select the samples. Chi-squared test was applied to find the factors associated with farmers’ adaptation practices for the climate change impact on agriculture production. Rice, maize, wheat, mustard and millet are the major crops in the study area. Majority of the respondents perceived increase in rice production, decrease in maize, wheat and millet production, and no change in mustard production. Majority of the respondents increase the use of improved seeds, chemical fertilizer and pesticides, do not change the cropping pattern and cropping altitude for the adoption of climate change in agriculture production. Use of seeds that can be cultivated in any seasons, fertilize of compost manure production on own field, water collection through pond, water and tank, tunnel crop, practice of off seasons crops are some adoption practices that they could not apply or they did not apply. Agriculture skill and the major occupation of the respondents are the common major factors associated with adaptation practices for climate change impact on agriculture production.