Abstract

This paper aimed to identify factors affecting adoption of multiple climate change adaptation strategies in Southern Malawi. An ordered probit model was estimated using survey data collected in Nsanje and Balaka districts in 2014-2015 cropping season. Age of household head, total land area owned, petty trading and formal employment were found to reduce the probability of adopting more than two CSA strategies. Farmers who reported observing changes in moisture levels in their areas for the 20-year period prior to the survey were found to have lower probability of adopting four CSA strategies as compared to those who reported not observing any changes in moisture in the same time period. Importantly, being a lead farmer, which proxied ample access to climate smart agriculture extension messages and training access, acreage used in agricultural production and observing an increase in incidences of floods in a 20-year period prior to this study increased the probability of adopting more than two CSA strategies. Interestingly, household income was found not to affect number of CSA strategies adopted. The study recommends that relevant stakeholders should provide farmers with CSA-related extension messages if more farmers are to adopt multiple CSA techniques.

Key words: Climate-smart agriculture, adoption, marginal effects, probability, ordered probit.