African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6863

Full Length Research Paper

More than two decades of climate change alarm: Farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions

Grace Wanjiru Kibue
  • Grace Wanjiru Kibue
  • Institute of Resource Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing AgricultureUniversity, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China; Faculty of Environment and Resources Development, Egerton University, 536, Kenya.
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Genixng Pan
  • Genixng Pan
  • Institute of Resource Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing AgricultureUniversity, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
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Stephen Joseph
  • Stephen Joseph
  • School of material science and engineering, University of NSW, Sidney 2052, Australia.
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Liu Xiaoyu
  • Liu Xiaoyu
  • Institute of Resource Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing AgricultureUniversity, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
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Zheng Jufeng
  • Zheng Jufeng
  • Institute of Resource Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing AgricultureUniversity, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
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Xuhui Zhang
  • Xuhui Zhang
  • Institute of Resource Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing AgricultureUniversity, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
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Lianqing Li
  • Lianqing Li
  • Institute of Resource Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing AgricultureUniversity, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
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  •  Received: 06 December 2014
  •  Accepted: 18 June 2015
  •  Published: 02 July 2015

Abstract

We conducted a questionnaire survey to assess farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and perceived threats of climate change. The findings show that the farmers are generally aware of direct and observable causes of climate change and the main impacts of climate change on agriculture but are not clear about the interconnections between the natural environment and farm management activities that result in climate change. This observation maybe explained by the fact that farmers rarely obtain information from accurate sources. Analysis of results showed that knowledge and attitudes towards climate change are influenced by gender, age and education. The results suggest the need to shape farmers’ attitudes/perceptions about climate change through participatory formulation and implementation of policies and the need to spread information through social networks. The roles and behaviors which individuals and organization can feasibly implement should be ascertained to increase adoption of actions that support formal and informal institutional arrangements.
 
Key words: knowledge, attitudes and behavior/ practices (KAP), survey, anthropogenic activities, livelihoods, climate change, agriculture.