Factors influencing smallholder farmers’ climate change risk perceptions: A behavioral approach in semi-arid regions of Zimbabwe

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Abstract The resilience of the agricultural sector is increasingly threatened by climate change while rainfed agriculture has become more susceptible to climate and weather-related stressors. However, farmers’ perceptions of climate change risk which vary by niche, greatly influence their adaptation strategies. This study used a questionnaire survey to solicit factors that inform and shape climate change risk perceptions of smallholder farmers in semi-arid areas in Zimbabwe. A sample of 180 farming households was randomly selected from six wards of Beitbridge District, Matabeleland South Province. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and the ordered probit regression model were used to assess the determinants of smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate change risk. Results show that perceptions of climate change risk are significantly enhanced by educational level, participation in social groups, household experience in agriculture, access to climate information and extension services, as well as age, gender, and education level of the household head. However, resource endowments reduced the climate change risk perception of households. However, the weak influence of these factors points towards the existence of other issues that influence smallholder farmer climate risk perceptions that warrant additional research to understand how these inform and shape smallholder farmer decision-making. Nonetheless, there is a continuous need to improve smallholder farmers’ access to climate information and build their capacity to address emerging climate risks. This is critical to shaping their climate change risk perceptions and influencing their decisions to adopt resilience-building technologies.

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