Perception and adaptation to climate change of lowland rice growers in Bukidnon, Philippines: a micro level analysis

The study evaluated the determinants of perception and adaptation strategies by lowland rice growers to climate change and variability. Specifically, it aimed to assess the extent of awareness and perception of lowland rice growers on climate change and variability, identify the determinants of perception of farmers on climate change and variability; analyze the farm-level adaptation strategies to changing climate conditions; determine the factors that significantly affect farm-level adaptation strategies to climate change, and assess the impact of climate change adaptation to lowland rice production. The conceptual framework is anchored on a model of farm-level adaptation to climate change risk influences which include social and cultural, political-economic, environmental and technological influences. The respondents were personally interviewed to get information regarding their socio-economic characteristics, awareness and perception of climate change, adaptation strategies adopted at the farm-level, and the impact of adaptation on rice production. Bivariate probit model, Heckman selection probit model, ordinary least square (OLS) and two-stage least squares (2SLS) procedure were employed to descriptively and analytically evaluate the determinants of perception and adaptation options. Majority of the respondents were not aware that some of their farming practices can contribute to climate change. Using the bivariate probit model, the determinants of perception of climate change were gender, farm experience, farm size, flood and drought experience, climate information, adaptation information and location. The yield enhancing adaptation strategies employed by farmers were the use of new rice varieties, change of planting calendar and organic farming. The Heckman probit analysis found that education, farm experience and access to adaptation information from any source increased the likelihood of employing adaptation strategies while age decreased the livelihood of taking up an adaptation measure.