DETERMINANTS OF ORCHARD FARMERS’ CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION: SOCIOECONOMIC, INSTITUTIONAL, AND BEHAVIORAL PERSPECTIVES FROM DISTRICT SWAT, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The agricultural systems of the globe are facing major threats due to climate change, and orchard farming in the mountainous areas of South Asia is becoming one of the most endangered areas that are also least studied. Indeed, Pakistan is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries and can be used as a significant case study to investigate the adaptations of orchard farmers to the changing climate conditions. This paper explores the factors that determine adaptation strategies adopted by orchard farmers using a multidimensional perspective which incorporates socioeconomic, behavioral and institutional approaches. The analysis is conducted with the help of a mixed-methods approach that initially investigates descriptive statistics of the characteristics of farmers and their adaptation strategies such as changing the timing of irrigation, implementing mixed farming systems, using mobile apps to obtain weather updates, and using chemical sprays to address new pests and diseases. Regression findings indicate that education, farm size, and farming experience are strong indicators of adaptation, indicating how social economic capital determines resilience capacity. Moreover, behavioral insights point to the high level of dependence on the perception of climate risks on the part of farmers to be willing to apply adaptation practices and emphasize the role of awareness and perception of risks. But poor agricultural extension services and paucity of institutional support were found to be huge obstacles and this inhibited adoption of effective strategies in time. The contribution of the study to the scholarship is that it is an example of orchard systems research as opposed to the cereal crop based research dominant in Pakistan and South Asia thus filling a major gap in knowledge. The results indicate that policy responses should be holistic through integration of education, institutional capacity building, financial support, and behavioral awareness campaigns in the effort to promote climate resilience by orchard farmers. Finally, the study gives theoretical and practical knowledge on how to reinforce the adaptation frameworks, how to guarantee sustainable livelihoods, and how to guarantee food systems in climate-susceptible areas.