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Role of Farmers’ Socioeconomic Factors in Sustainable Production and Livelihoods under Climate Change

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Air, Climate Change and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2023) | Viewed by 28370

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Dr. Nasir Mahmood

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Guest Editor

Department of Economics & Agricultural Economics, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan
Interests: agricultural economics; climate change impact assessment; economic efficiency studies; climate-based e-extension services; climate change Fatalism; forest economics; rural development

Prof. Dr. Irfan Ahmad Baig

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Guest Editor

Dean Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, Department of Agribusiness & Applied Economics, MNS- University of Agriculture, Multan 66000, Pakistan
Interests: climat change; resource use efficiency; water resource management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change is posing an immense challenge across the globe, especially for those in communities in rural areas who depend upon agriculture for their livelihoods. The changing climatic conditions are exerting adverse impacts through various means, ranging from droughts to floods along with rising temperatures, and erratic rainfall patterns. Farming communities are the worst-hit by climate change as they are directly influenced by these conditions. These impacts are reflected in terms of huge crop yield losses and resource base degradation, which increase the cost of production and cause physical damage to the crops, which ultimately affects the livelihoods of the communities either directly or indirectly connected with agriculture. We cannot ignore the role of the various agronomic inputs used by the farmers for increasing yields, but other very important socioeconomic factors can also play a significant role in managing the farming business to maximize profit. The best solutions to fight against the challenge created by climate change are suitable field management and adaptation practices that can minimize climate-induced impacts. A farmer with more education, access to resources like labor, and on-farm income is more likely to adopt to climate-smart agricultural practices in time to potentially increase crop yields.

Small-scale farmers have limited access to formal credit sources, but the availability of informal credit from friends, relatives, and farmer cooperatives can help them to purchase and apply various inputs in timely manner to achieve higher yields. Although information on climate change from extension workers and media sources is playing an important role, the role of informal information exchange through neighbors and fellow famers, especially at marketplaces, cannot be ignored. This means that the easy access to input markets also incerases awareness among farmers about climate variability and better field management practices. Thus, along with various crop inputs, farmers’ socioeconomic factors can play a significant role in improving field management and uptake of adaptation strategies to minimize the harmful impacts of climate change and to achieve sustainable crop production.

Therefore, it is crucial to discern the role of farmers’ socioeconomic factors under the changing climate on their welfare. The purpose of this Special Issue is to explore the rarely considered aspect of farmers’ socioeconomic factors and its ultimate impact on their welfare in the era of changing climatic conditions and deteriorating environmental conditions. This Special Issue welcomes articles on the abovementioned topic, which will provide valuable contributions to the literature on climate-centered studies.

Dr. Nasir Mahmood
Prof. Dr. Irfan Ahmad Baig
Guest Editors

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Keywords

adaptation and adaptive capacity
gender disaggregated effects
crop productivity
economic efficiency
credit access through informal markets
farmer cooperatives
access to input markets
the role of marketing intermediaries
technology adoption
advisory services
farmers’ livelihoods under changing climate
impact of co-working in information dissemination

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 3678 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Economic Sustainability of Cropping Systems in the Salt–Affected Coastal Zone of West Bengal, India

by Krishnendu Ray, Suman Mondal, Md. Jahangir Kabir, Sukamal Sarkar, Kalyan Roy, Koushik Brahmachari, Argha Ghosh, Manoj K. Nanda, Sanchayeeta Misra, Supriya Ghorui, Rupak Goswami and Mohammed Mainuddin

Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 8691; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118691 - 27 May 2023

Viewed by 2088

Abstract

Identifying productive, profitable, and less risky cropping systems is pivotal for ensuring sustainable farm–based livelihoods in the context of climatic uncertainties and market volatility, particularly in many developing nations. Conventional field crop research often identifies the best or optimal solutions based on treatment replicates at a specific point in time without considering the influence of market volatility and climatic uncertainties. To address this gap, we conducted an assessment of productivity profitability and climate– and market–uncertainty-driven risk for eleven different rice-based cropping systems (eight existing and three potential systems) in the coastal region of Gosaba Block, West Bengal, India. Farmers’ observations of the best, typical, and worst seasonal yields and price data for the selected cropping systems over the last five to seven years were collected from fifty farm households. Irrespective of the scenarios, the rice–lathyrus systems, followed by rice–onion and rice–lentil systems, recorded the lowest rice equivalent yields and system yields. However, the highest rice equivalent yields and system yields were recorded for rice–chilli systems, followed by rice–tomato and rice–potato–green-gram systems. Per hectare, total paid–out cost (TPC) of rice–tomato systems was higher, followed by rice–chilli, rice–potato–green–gram, and rice–potato systems. However, irrespective of seasonal conditions (best, normal, and worst), rice–chilli systems gave a higher net return followed by rice–tomato and rice–potato–green–gram systems. The rice–fallow system recorded the lowest value for both parameters. Under the worst seasonal conditions, the rice–onion system gave a negative net return. Under all the scenarios, the rice–chilli system gave the highest benefit over cost, followed by the rice–tomato, rice–potato–green-gram, and rice–potato systems. The cumulative probability distribution (CDF) of per ha net income of the rice–tomato system showed first–degree stochastic dominance over other systems, implying that the system is economically the most profitable and less risky. Additionally, the CDF of net income per ha of the rice–chilli system showed second–degree stochastic dominance over the rest of the systems, indicating that the system is economically more profitable and less risky than other rice/non–rice cropping systems except for the rice–tomato system. Furthermore, the risk analysis results suggest that the likelihood of obtaining negative net income was nil for the selected cropping systems, except the rice–onion system had a slight chance (<1%) of providing a negative net return. Considering the productivity and economic viability (e.g., profitability and risk) of different rice–based systems, it is recommended to promote the adoption of the rice–vegetable systems, especially rice–tomato and rice–chilli from among the existing systems and rice–potato–green-gram systems from among the potential systems, for achieving sustainable intensification in these coastal saline tracts of the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Farmers’ Socioeconomic Factors in Sustainable Production and Livelihoods under Climate Change)

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22 pages, 3504 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating the Socioeconomic Factors on Deforestation in Northern Pakistan: A Study on Existing Economic Incentive Tools for Reducing Deforestation

by Saif Ullah, Yixiong Wu and Azeem Iqbal Khan

Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 5894; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075894 - 28 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4397

Abstract

Deforestation is a common threat to the environment that has a substantial impact on the forest’s distribution across territorial boundaries. It is simply defined as the loss of forest cover, which most commonly occurs as a result of deforestation for various reasons. Pakistan is among those countries which have a very high deforestation rate. This paper analyzes the various socioeconomic factors which cause deforestation in northern Pakistan and the existing economic incentive tools for reducing deforestation. Data collected from 602 respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a logistic regression model, while the Likert scale was used to determine the mean socioeconomic factor score encouraging deforestation and the economic incentives used to reduce deforestation. Gender distributions showed that the majority (65.9%) of the respondents were male while 34.1% were female. On family size, the majority of the respondents (66.8%) had a family size of 5–8. On age, between 21–25 years (46.0%) recorded the highest number. The average age of the respondents was 24 years. Educationally, 13.8% had a master’s education, 11.1% a bachelor’s education, 4.3% no formal education, 5.6% a higher education level, meaning master’s or PhD students, 56.1% had a primary education, and 9.0% had a secondary education. On occupation, the majority (50.4%) of the respondents were involved in farming as their main occupation. On income, the major income recorded a mean of 25,000 net, while the minor income recorded a mean of 15,500 net. Setting the forest ablaze, increasing farming activities, low level of literacy, increasing timber mafia, growing population, and poverty were the socioeconomic factors found. The economic incentives listed were for forest crop subsidies, an enhanced system of taxes on exploited forest products, the acquisition of well-monitored hunting licenses, alternative job opportunities, credit provision, and a limited ban on round log exports. The results of the logit regression established that rewarding socioeconomic factors were statistically significant variables at (p < 0.05). Conclusively, if adequately controlled and applied, economic incentives can be an important instrument for reducing deforestation. Therefore, deforestation activities cannot be entirely eradicated but they can be reduced to the barest minimum by properly enforcing forest policies in terms of efficient forest policing. The goals of this study are to help with the implementation of appropriate policies and decision-making in forest management, as well as to provide a foundation for future scenario analysis of deforestation potential or to investigate potential environmental and human implications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Farmers’ Socioeconomic Factors in Sustainable Production and Livelihoods under Climate Change)

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21 pages, 1465 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Para Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) Feedstock for Livelihoods Opportunities in Southern Thailand: Analysis of Socioeconomic Productivity Potentials and Security

by John Nyandansobi Simon, Narissara Nuthammachot, Kuaanan Techato, Kingsley Ezechukwu Okpara, Sittiporn Channumsin, Rungnapa Kaewthongrach and Md. Sujahangir Kabir Sarkar

Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 10142; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610142 - 16 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3425

Abstract

Para rubber feedstock production potential was explored in Hat Yai district. The study focused on the respondent’s socioeconomic status, feedstock production potential, and mapped the relevant actors along the supply chain. Structured questionnaires were administered to 117 respondents chosen through random and purposeful sampling. The descriptive statistics, linear regression models, feedstock potential model, and Simpson’s diversity index were used to analyze the data. The findings showed average ages of 54.4 and 48.4 for farmers and processors respectively, with above 40% literacy. Seventy-six percent of the plantations’ land belongs to the respondents with corresponding average yields of 9.5 tons/yr and 1082.5 logs for latex and parawood as the main products. Farmers and processors had a mean annual para rubber income of USD 6341.35 and 2.55 million USD, respectively. The analysis revealed a significant relationship between plantation size and feedstock supply; the theoretical feedstock potential is 831,630.91 tons and is highly diverse (Simpson’s diversity index of 0.75), indicative of high potential for sustainable production and consumption. The study highlights that low latex prices alone cannot account for the decline in rubber feedstock yield, due to the high cost of new land, the inability of farmers to expand plantations, and four interlinked feedstock supply lines existing in the study area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Farmers’ Socioeconomic Factors in Sustainable Production and Livelihoods under Climate Change)

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23 pages, 1941 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Vulnerability of Maize Farming Systems to Climate Change: Farmers’ Opinions Differ about the Relevance of Adaptation Strategies

by Marine Albert, Jacques-Eric Bergez, Magali Willaume and Stéphane Couture

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8275; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148275 - 6 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2115

Abstract

Climate change has negative impacts on maize cultivation in southwestern France, such as soil erosion and water stress. The vulnerability of maize farming systems to climate change must be assessed before considering potential adaptation strategies. This study focused on eliciting and understanding criteria that maize growers use to assess the vulnerability of their farming systems to climate change. To this end, we surveyed maize growers in two consecutive stages: a qualitative stage, to elicit vulnerability criteria, and a quantitative stage, to test the genericity of criteria related to the adaptation strategies. The qualitative stage identified 144 criteria that farmers used to assess vulnerability to climate change, while the quantitative stage showed that farmers’ opinions about the adaptation strategies differed. Many factors explained these differences, including structural (e.g., soil type) and psychological factors (e.g., interest in agroecology). Our typology of farmers revealed that their interest in agroecology and technology, as well as their perceptions of the risks of climate change and their attachment to their production systems, influence the type of adaptations they identify as relevant (i.e., intensification strategies, slight adjustments or agroecological innovations). Farmers’ perceptions should be considered when providing individual advice and assessing vulnerability, by including criteria related to their psychological characteristics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Farmers’ Socioeconomic Factors in Sustainable Production and Livelihoods under Climate Change)

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20 pages, 1432 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Livelihood Capitals, Income Inequality, and the Perception of Climate Change: A Case Study of Small-Scale Cattle Farmers in the Ecuadorian Andes

by Bolier Torres, Jhenny Cayambe, Susana Paz, Kelly Ayerve, Marco Heredia-R, Emma Torres, Marcelo Luna, Theofilos Toulkeridis and Antón García

Sustainability 2022, 14(9), 5028; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095028 - 22 Apr 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3540

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of 2015 identify poverty, growth, and inequality as three key areas of intervention towards the UN 2030 Agenda for human well-being and sustainability. Herein, the predominant objectives are: (a) To determine the poverty groups by quintiles through the cattle income in households of small milk producers; (b) To characterize rural livelihoods by using capital theory; and (c) To assess the perception of climate change (CC) and the willingness to accept adaptation as well as mitigation measures. The current study was performed in communities that are located in the Ecuadorian Andes, where some 178 surveys were conducted with indigenous Kichwa and mestizo heads of households. From the total net income determined, five groups were organized. The Lorenz curve was applied as a general indicator of the relative inequality, as well as the Gini coefficient (G). On the basis of the theory of capital, the human, social, natural, physical, and financial characteristics were determined, and seven variables were considered to evaluate the perception and willingness to accept mitigation and adaptation actions of the given quintiles. The result of the Gini coefficient was 0.52, which indicates that the poorest 20% of the population only receives 3.40% of the income, while the richest 20% of the quintile obtain about 54% of the total income. It is evident that most producers know little about CC, but that they are willing to receive strengthening programs. Therefore, it is essential to establish strategic guidelines from public policy in order to reduce inequality and to improve the social welfare of producers, with a transversal axis in the strengthening of the capacities on the impact, mitigation, and adaptation to CC, as well as the provision of several tools, such as access to climate information. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Farmers’ Socioeconomic Factors in Sustainable Production and Livelihoods under Climate Change)

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22 pages, 5639 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Climate Change Concerns of Saudi Arabian Farmers: The Drivers and Their Role in Perceived Capacity Building Needs for Adaptation

by Bader Alhafi Alotaibi, Azhar Abbas, Raza Ullah, Roshan K. Nayak, Muhammad I. Azeem and Hazem S. Kassem

Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12677; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212677 - 16 Nov 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4700

Abstract

Climate change is a serious threat to the sustainability of global agriculture and food supply that necessitates taking appropriate action for building resilient food production systems and preserving rural economies. In this regard, farmers’ beliefs and concerns about the effects of climate change on agriculture may influence their adoption of adaptation and mitigation practices to address this emerging issue. This work was undertaken to evaluate farmers’ level of concern about climate change in the Jazan province of Saudi Arabia. The study also explored the role of various socioeconomic indicators in shaping farmers’ concerns and highlights various capacity-building initiatives that can be applied at the community level for effective adaptation. Ordered logistic regression was used to study the relationship between farmers’ level of concern and their need for capacity-building initiatives to tackle climate change. Results indicated that insect infestation is the farmers’ top concern, followed by higher crop-diseases incidence and drought. Regression analysis revealed that farmers’ income is a major factor that reduces their concern for insect infestation and crop disease while increases concern for drought. Credit access and information availability have a mixed impact on the farmers’ concern level. Capacity-building initiatives deemed necessary included establishing frequent contacts with extension personnel, timely warnings on droughts and other natural hazards, the training of farmers and extension workers, easy credit facilities, improvement in rural infrastructure and creation of awareness to address specific concern stimulus. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Farmers’ Socioeconomic Factors in Sustainable Production and Livelihoods under Climate Change)

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17 pages, 1416 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Migration and Climate Change Impacts on Rural Entrepreneurs in Nigeria: A Gender Perspective

by Catherine Abiola O. Akinbami

Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 8882; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168882 - 9 Aug 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3227

Abstract

Although the effects of climate change are universal, some groups are more negatively affected than others, which has raised global concerns. The most affected are families involved with agriculture or that use natural resources in rural areas as a means of livelihood. This study aimed to assess the responses of rural dwellers to climate change and migration, determine the extent of climate change as a driver of migration, assess the viability of migration as an option for climate change adaptation, and evaluate the gender perspective of migration and the impact of climate change on entrepreneurial development in rural areas. A qualitative method was employed to solicit responses from respondents in selected rural areas under four different vegetation zones through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Data were analyzed using Atlas.ti. A difference was found in gender reactions to migration due to socio-cultural factors and family responsibilities. In addition, different types of migration patterns were found to exist among men and women. The study also revealed that climate change is a major driver of migration, affects livelihood practices differently in the vegetation zones, and has a negative impact on the entrepreneurship development of the rural areas. Finally, this study provides insights into the effect of migration type on the entrepreneurship development by gender. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Farmers’ Socioeconomic Factors in Sustainable Production and Livelihoods under Climate Change)

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30 pages, 3395 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Stakeholder Pressure Matters in Adopting Sustainable Supply Chain Initiatives? Insights from Agro-Based Processing Industry

by Tamoor Azam, Songjiang Wang, Muhammad Mohsin, Muhammad Nazam, Muhammad Hashim, Sajjad Ahmad Baig and Muhammad Zia-ur-Rehman

Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7278; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137278 - 29 Jun 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2936

Abstract

Over the past few years, sustainable supply chain initiatives (SSCIs) have grabbed attention in the domestic, as well as global, marketplace of the food sector. Nowadays, the success of the entire food supply chain depends on the prosperity of farms, local communities, trader processors, and agro-based industries. Despite its importance, food processing industries (FPIs) are encountering various hurdles in achieving sustainable business goals due to the sheer number of potential barriers. Due to this reason, stakeholders are continuously pressuring the management of FPIs to embrace sustainable food processing activities. In light of this, the present study aims to apply a hybrid fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (F-AHP) framework, based on fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution (F-TOPSIS), for analyzing the barriers and prioritizing the possible pathways in adopting the SSCIs for the development of FPIs. Based on the extensive review of literature and panel consultation with experienced experts, a total of seven main barriers, forty-two sub barriers, and five possible pathways as strategic tools were finalized and ranked. An empirical case investigation of a Pakistani-based food processing company has been taken to check the practical application of the proposed framework along with sensitivity analysis. The findings of this study reveal that the lack of sustainable outsourcing factors were found as the top-ranked barrier in implementing SSCIs, and the possible pathway to overcome this barrier is the appropriate management of the procurement cycle. The major contribution of this study is to establish a barriers prioritization framework and suggest possible pathways to overcome these barriers for the successful implementation of SSCIs. Finally, the theoretical, managerial, and policy implications are provided as a way forward for the concerned stakeholders and policymakers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Farmers’ Socioeconomic Factors in Sustainable Production and Livelihoods under Climate Change)

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