The potential of Climate Field Schools to boost small-scale farmers’ adaptation capacity

Abstract

Abstract Increasing temperature and changing rainfall patterns cause a decrease in agricultural production. Adapting to climate change is one of the major challenges of farmers in Indonesia. Since the climate will continue to change in the future, it is important to understand the determinants of adaptation in order to know how to support this adaptation process. This study identifies the link between perception and adaptation, in addition to the driving forces for adopting one or more of a set of 21 farm-level adaptation strategies. A survey was conducted among 74 participants of a Climate Field School in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The 2-step Heckman estimation model that was used analyses the link between perception of and adaptation to climate change. The results indicate that better educated farmers and farmers with no off-farm income are more likely to adapt. The logistic regression model demonstrates that the possession of livestock increases the likelihood of applying a wider range of adaptation strategies. The Climate Field Schools offer a promising approach for enabling farmers to select appropriate adaptation strategies. However, other factors need to be considered to make best use of the potential of sustainable adaptation.