Analysis of The Farmer’s Perception and Preparedness for Climate

Change in Pakistan

Research Proposal

Introduction

Climate change is a global phenomenon that is affecting the lives and

livelihoods of people in various parts of the world. Pakistan, being an
agricultural country, heavily relies on its farming sector for its economy
(Abbas et al., 2022). Unfortunately, climate change has led to significant
impacts on agriculture in Pakistan, including changes in temperature,
precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events. These changes have
affected farmers' perceptions and their preparedness for climate change
(Ashraf et al., 2019).

The perception of climate change by farmers in Pakistan varies depending on

their level of education, income, and awareness of climate change. Studies
show that farmers in Pakistan generally have a limited understanding of
climate change and its impact on their lives. They often attribute changes in
weather patterns to seasonal variations rather than climate change.
However, farmers who have experienced the effects of climate change, such
as droughts and floods, have a better understanding of its impacts and are
more likely to take action to adapt to the changes (Usman et al., 2023).

Despite the limited understanding of climate change, farmers in Pakistan

have taken some steps to adapt to the changes. These include changing
crop varieties, altering planting and harvesting schedules, and changing
irrigation practices. These adaptations have been more prevalent in areas
that have experienced the most significant impacts of climate change, such
as drought-prone areas in Sindh and Baluchistan (Sohail et al., 2021).

Rationale:

Pakistan is a predominantly agrarian country, where farming and related

activities account for a significant part of the economy. However, the
agricultural sector is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change,
which can lead to severe damage to crops, livestock, and agricultural
infrastructure. The farmers' perception and preparedness for climate change
are, therefore, essential for ensuring food security and sustainable
agricultural development in the country (Khan et al., 2021).

Farmers in Pakistan have started to notice changes in weather patterns and

their impacts on agriculture, including increased temperatures, reduced
rainfall, and longer dry spells. According to a survey conducted by the
International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in collaboration with the
Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), the majority of farmers in
Pakistan (60%) have perceived changes in climate over the past 10 years.
Most of them (79%) believe that these changes are negatively affecting
agricultural productivity and their livelihoods (Ullah et al., 2019).

Despite their awareness of climate change, farmers in Pakistan face

significant challenges in adapting to its impacts. The same survey mentioned
earlier found that only 15% of farmers have heard of climate change, and
only 8% have received any information about its impacts. Most farmers rely
on traditional knowledge and experience to manage their farms, and few
have access to climate information or technology that could help them adapt
(Amir et al., 2020).
In terms of adaptation measures, farmers in Pakistan are mostly focused on
changing cropping patterns and practices. The IWMI-PARC survey found that
69% of farmers have changed their crop varieties or planting dates to cope
with changing weather patterns. Similarly, 61% have changed their irrigation
practices, and 48% have adopted conservation agriculture techniques, such
as minimum tillage, mulching, and intercropping. However, these measures
are often insufficient to cope with the increasing frequency and intensity of
extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves (Usman et
al., 2023).

One of the main barriers to farmers' adaptation to climate change in Pakistan

is the lack of access to finance and insurance. Most farmers rely on informal
credit sources, such as moneylenders, and have little or no access to formal
financial services. This limits their ability to invest in climate-resilient
technologies and infrastructure or to cope with the financial losses caused by
climate disasters. Similarly, the insurance coverage for agriculture is limited
in Pakistan, and most farmers do not have access to crop insurance or other
forms of risk management (Rana et al., 2020).

Another challenge is the lack of government support and policy frameworks

for climate change adaptation in agriculture. Although the government has
recognized the importance of climate change for agriculture and has
developed some policies and programs, such as the National Climate Change
Policy and the Climate Smart Agriculture Strategy, the implementation and
effectiveness of these initiatives are limited (Abbasi et al., 2020). The
government needs to invest more in climate information services, extension
services, and rural infrastructure to support farmers' adaptation to climate
change. It should also promote private sector involvement in climate-resilient
agriculture and provide incentives for farmers to adopt sustainable land
management practices (Khan et al., 2021).

The research conducted in the past has highlighted the impact of climate
change on agriculture, but little is known about the perception and
preparedness of farmers for this phenomenon. One of the research gaps in
this area is related to the farmers' perception of climate change. Although
some studies have investigated the awareness and understanding of climate
change among farmers in Pakistan, there is still a need to explore their
perception of the phenomenon. Farmers' perception of climate change can
significantly influence their adaptation and mitigation strategies. Therefore,
it is crucial to understand how they perceive climate change, its causes, and
its impact on agriculture.

Aim and Objectives

The main aim of this research is to analyze the farmer’s perception and their
preparedness for climate change in Punjab, Pakistan. The research objectives
for studying the perception of farmers regarding climate change impacts can
vary depending on the specific research questions, context, and scope of the
study. However, some possible research objectives are:

1. To identify the key climate change-related challenges that farmers

face in their daily farming activities and the extent to which these
challenges affect their productivity and livelihood.

2. To summarize the evidence for climate change and predicted future

changes in Punjab, Pakistan.

3. To understand the awareness about the impacts, attitudes and

practices of the farmers to climate change in Punjab province of
Pakistan.

4. To identify the recommendations for mitigating the negative impacts of

climate change on farmers in Punjab.

Research Methodology

To analyze the farmer's perception and preparedness for climate change in

Punjab, Pakistan using secondary data research methodology, the following
steps can be taken:
a. Identification of the relevant sources of secondary data: The first
step is to identify sources of secondary data that contain information
about the farmers' perception and preparedness for climate change in
Pakistan. Examples of potential sources include academic articles,
government reports, NGO reports, and datasets (Rasool et al., 2022).
Some of the reports and publications that will be used for this research
are given here;
i. "Climate Change and Agriculture in Pakistan: Impacts,
Vulnerabilities, and Adaptation" by the International Food Policy
Research Institute (IFPRI) (2011)
ii. "Perception and Adaptation to Climate Change: A Study of Rural
Farmers in Pakistan" by the International Journal of
Environmental Research and Public Health (2018)
iii. "Perception and Adaptation to Climate Change: A Study of Rural
Farmers in Pakistan" by the International Journal of
Environmental Research and Public Health (2018)
iv. "Farmers' Perceptions and Adaptation to Climate Change: A
Case Study of Punjab Province, Pakistan" by the Journal of
Agricultural Science and Technology (2016)
v. "Climate-Smart Agriculture in Pakistan: A Country Profile" by the
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2017)
vi. "Adapting to Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities for
Pakistan" by the World Bank (2019)”

b. Conducting a systematic search: After identified potential sources of

secondary data, a systematic search to find relevant information will be
done. This may involve using keywords related to climate change,
agriculture, and Pakistan in databases such as Google Scholar, JSTOR,
and Scopus (Abbasi et al., 2020).

c. Screening and selection of data: After conducting a search, screening

the results to identify data that will be relevant to the research question.
This may involve reading abstracts, introductions, and conclusions of
articles or reports to assess their relevance (Amir et al., 2020). After
selection of the relevant data, will organize it according to themes or
topics.

d. Analyzing the data: Analysis of the data to identify patterns, trends,

and themes related to the farmers' perception and preparedness for
climate change in Pakistan. This may involve using statistical techniques
to analyze datasets, or qualitative methods such as content analysis to
analyze text-based data.
e. Communicating the main findings: Communication of the main
findings in a clear and concise manner, using visual aids such as tables,
graphs, or maps where appropriate. This may involve writing a report,
presenting findings at a conference, or publishing results in a peer-
reviewed journal.

Tasks of the Research

Task 1. Literature review

Task 2. Identify the key climate change-related challenges that farmers face
in their daily farming activities and the extent to which these challenges
affect their productivity and livelihood.

Task 3. Summarize the evidence for climate change and predicted future
changes in Punjab, Pakistan.

Task 4. Understand the awareness about the impacts, attitudes and

practices of the farmers to climate change in Punjab province of Pakistan.

Task 5. To identify the recommendations for mitigating the negative

impacts of climate change on farmers in Punjab and final project write up.

Gantt Chart as Project Management

Monthly Period
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Tasks

Task 1: Background knowledge as

Literature Review

Task 2: Identify the key climate

change-related challenges that
farmers face in their daily farming
activities and the extent to which
these challenges affect their
productivity and livelihood

Task 3: Summarize the evidence for

climate change and predicted future
changes in Punjab, Pakistan.

Task 4: Understand the awareness

about the impacts, attitudes and
practices of the farmers to climate
change in Punjab province of Pakistan

Task 5: To identify the

recommendations for mitigating the
negative impacts of climate change on
farmers in Punjab

Write-up for final Project

Milestones:The milestones are given here

Mileston Description of the Milestone Timeline

es

M1 Background knowledge as Literature Review 1st Month

M2 Identify the key climate change-related 3rd month

challenges that farmers face in their daily farming
activities and the extent to which these
challenges affect their productivity and livelihood

M3 Summarize the evidence for climate change and 5th month

predicted future changes in Punjab, Pakistan.

M4 Understand the awareness about the impacts, 7th month

attitudes and practices of the farmers to climate
change in Punjab province of Pakistan

M5 To identify the recommendations for mitigating After 4th

the negative impacts of climate change on Milestone
farmers in Punjab

Write-up for final Project

References:
Abbas, Q., Han, J., Bakhsh, K., Ullah, R., Kousar, R., Adeel, A. and Akhtar, A.,
2022. Adaptation to climate change risks among dairy farmers in Punjab,
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Abbasi, Z.A.K. and Nawaz, A., 2020. Impact of climate change awareness on
climate change adaptions and climate change adaptation issues. Pakistan
Journal of Agricultural Research, 33(3), p.619.

Amir, S., Saqib, Z., Khan, M.I., Ali, A., Khan, M.A. and Bokhari, S.A., 2020.
Determinants of farmers’ adaptation to climate change in rain-fed agriculture
of Pakistan. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 13, pp.1-19.

Ashraf, M.Q., Khan, S.A., Khan, R. and Iqbal, M.W., 2019. Determinants of
adaptation strategies to climate change by farmers in district Sargodha,
Pakistan. International Journal of Economic and Environmental Geology,
pp.16-20.
Khan, N.A., Gong, Z. and Shah, A.A., 2021. Synergy between climate risk
perception, adaptation responses, and agricultural productivity: the case of
rice farming communities in Pakistan. Environmental Science and Pollution
Research, pp.1-17.

Rana, I.A., Jamshed, A., Younas, Z.I. and Bhatti, S.S., 2020. Characterizing
flood risk perception in urban communities of Pakistan. International journal
of disaster risk reduction, 46, p.1014.

Rasool, S., Rana, I.A. and Ahmad, S., 2022. Linking flood risk perceptions and
psychological distancing to climate change: a case study of rural
communities along Indus and Chenab rivers, Pakistan. International Journal
of Disaster Risk Reduction, 70, p.1027.

Sohail, M.T., Lin, X., Lizhi, L., Rizwanullah, M., Nasrullah, M., Xiuyuan, Y.,
Manzoor, Z. and Elis, R.J., 2021. Farmers’ awareness about impacts of
reusing wastewater, risk perception and adaptation to climate change in
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Ullah, W., Nafees, M., Khurshid, M. and Nihei, T., 2019. Assessing farmers’
perspectives on climate change for effective farm-level adaptation measures
in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Environmental monitoring and
assessment, 191, pp.1-18.

Usman, M., Ali, A., Bashir, M.K., Baig, S.A., Mushtaq, K., Abbas, A., Akram, R.
and Iqbal, M.S., 2023. Modelling wellbeing of farmers by using nexus of
climate change risk perception, adaptation strategies, and their drivers on
irrigation water in Pakistan. Environmental Science and Pollution Research,
pp.1-18.