Farmers' Perception of Bavi County on Coexistence with Drought Definitions, Experiences, Memories and Expectations

Document Type : Thesis Article

Authors

Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Rural Development, Khuzestan Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources University, Mollasani, Ahvaz, Iran

10.22059/jrur.2025.376094.1943

Abstract

A B S T R A C T
In the last few years, the drought has had multiple effects on all the different regions of the world, especially the rural areas, which is why people's perception of this event is very different. Perception is the strongest predictor of farmers' risk perception of climate change. Therefore, farmers' perception of drought can be vital in increasing their adoption. The general purpose of this qualitative research, which was conducted using the phenomenological method, was to investigate farmers' perceptions of coexistence with drought (definitions, experiences, memories, and expectations). The farmers of Bavi city formed the studied society. Informative people were identified through the snowball method or chain referral, which finally reached theoretical saturation after 25 interviews. The data of this research was collected through in-depth interviews and direct observation methods, and along with these two methods, taking photos and using library documents were also used. The data was analyzed based on the Colaizzi model. Based on the results, the studied farmers mentioned different understandings, definitions, experiences, risks, and expectations of drought. In such a way that after collecting the concepts, extracted categories were discussed, which were finally extracted for experiences (6 codes), definitions (3 codes), memories (5 codes), and expectations (3 codes). In general, the results of this research can provide new insights for policymakers in this field and provide a basic plan for stabilizing local communities in drought conditions
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Drought is a global phenomenon, affecting more than half the world's population. Various climates and ecosystems are affected differently, and the geographical areas affected have increased dramatically over the last four decades. In recent years, droughts have occurred on every continent, affecting large areas of Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and South and North America. It has received much attention because of the high social and economic costs that drought causes. Drought is the most devastating and complicated natural disaster in terms of the number of people affected worldwide. The complexity of drought may be partly explained by the fact that this phenomenon cannot be evenly distributed across regions, so each neighborhood, area, or individual may be influenced by drought to varying degrees. Therefore, the intensity of the drought and its impacts can be perceived differently. As a result of human migration, the effects of drought often extend beyond the geographical area. As drought has different impacts, diverse strategies can be applied in various regions.
 
Methodology
The general purpose of this qualitative research, which was conducted using the phenomenological method, was to investigate the definitions and adaptive behaviors of farmers in Bavi County in terms of drought coping. The farmers of Bavi County formed the studied society. Informative people were identified through the snowball method or chain referral, which finally reached theoretical saturation after 25 interviews. The data of this research was collected through in-depth interviews and direct observation methods, and along with these two methods, taking photos and using library documents were also used. The data was analyzed based on the Colaizzi model.
 
Results and discussion
Based on the results, farmers' most essential definitions of drought included water reduction, rainfall reduction, and improper rainfall distribution. In addition, the adaptation behaviors of farmers in two classes of coping or action behaviors that include (reducing the number of livestock, destroying forests, leaving the place or migrating, non-agricultural employment, selling or renting land, increasing the interval between irrigation, loans taking, insuring, dropping out of school for children, borrowing and using unconventional) and transactional or adaptation behaviors including (water storage, fodder storage, changing the cultivation pattern, using new irrigation technologies, optimal use of underground water, buying additional water, digging a well, not planting summer crops). In general, the results of this research can provide new insights for policymakers in this field and provide a basic plan for stabilizing local communities in drought conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the farmers' understanding of the most important adaptation strategies in each region so that the most important strategies needed in this field can be known. Identifying adaptation strategies in each region can help design a basic plan for other strategies that have not been used in the region and promote the most essential adaptation strategies.
In this regard, this research was conducted to investigate the most important adaptation strategies in Bavi County in Khuzestan province. Based on the results, the studied farmers mentioned different understandings, definitions, experiences, risks, and expectations of drought. In such a way that after collecting the concepts, extracted categories were discussed, which were finally extracted for experiences (6 codes), definitions (3 codes), memories (5 codes), and expectations (3 codes). In general, the results of this research can provide new insights for policymakers in this field and provide a basic plan for stabilizing local communities in drought conditions.
 
Conclusion
Qualitative paradigm and phenomenology methods were used in this research. The results of this research were presented in four parts. In the first part, the experiences of farmers from drought were extracted, which included five categories as crop loss, river water level decrease, income decrease, weak economic power, increasing discomfort and despair, and lowering the underground water level. In the second step, the farmers' definitions of drought were extracted from drought, which included a decrease in rainfall, lack of water, and improper distribution of precipitation. In the third step, the most important memories recorded in the memory of farmers were identified, which included unemployment, unwillingness to work in agriculture, conflict over water sharing, increase in social delinquency, fate and fate. Finally, in the last step, farmers' expectations of the consequences of drought were investigated, which included the rise of the earth's temperature and the emergence of dust centers.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
Abbas Sheheytavi: Researcher doing the work, interviewing and collecting opinions, data analysis.
Moslem Savari: a guide to doing the work, preparation of the initial draft of the article, review of past studies, validation of data.
Masoud Baradaran: consultant for doing the work, editing the text of the article.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

  1. Abodolahzadeh, Gh., Azhdarpour, A., & Sharifzadeh, M. Sh. (2017). Investigating the perception of villagers towards climate changes and adaptation strategies in Zabul city. Quarterly Journal of Geography and Environmental Planning, 28 (4), 85-106. doi:10.22059/JIPA.2015.56993 [In Persian].
  2. Adeagbo, O. A., Ojo, T. O., & Adetoro, A. A. (2021). Understanding the determinants of climate change adaptation strategies among smallholder maize farmers in South-west, Nigeria. Journal of Heliyon, 7(2), 06231. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06231
  3. Adjebeng-Danquah, J., Martey, E., Manu-Aduening, J., Gracen, V., Asante, I. K., & Offei, S. K. (2020). Farmers’ perception on drought constraints and mitigation strategies in cassava cultivation in northern Ghana: Implications for cassava breeding. Sustainable Futures, 2, 100041. doi:10.1016/j.sftr.2020.100041
  4. Ahmed, Z., Guha, G. S., Shew, A. M., & Alam, G. M. (2021). Climate change risk perceptions and agricultural adaptation strategies in vulnerable riverine char islands of Bangladesh. Land Use Policy, 103, 105295. doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2021.105295
  5. Alam, G.M.M., Alam, K., & Mushtaq, S. (2016). Influence of institutional access and social capital on adaptation decision: Empirical evidence from hazard-prone rural households in Bangladesh. Ecological Economics, 130, 243–251. doi:10.1016/j. ecolecon.2016.07.012.
  6. Aliyar, Q., Zulfiqar, F., Datta, A., Kuwornu, J. K., & Shrestha, S. (2022). Drought perception and field-level adaptation strategies of farming households in drought-prone areas of Afghanistan. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 72, 102862. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.07.012
  7. Antwi-Agyei, P., Amanor, K., Hogarh, J.N. & Dougill, A.J. (2020). Predictors of access to and willingness to pay for climate information services in north-eastern Ghana: a gendered perspective. Environmental Development, 45, 100580. doi: 10.1016/j.envdev.2020.100580.
  8. Aref, H., Boudlaie, H., & Begi, V. (2015). Phenomenology of the experience of being fired. Public administration, 7(3), 573-594. [In Persian]. doi:10.22059/JIPA.2015.56993
  9. Arora, N. K. (2019). Impact of climate change on agriculture production and its sustainable solutions. Environmental Sustainability, 2(2), 95-96. doi:10.1007/s42398-019-00078-w
  10. Awolala, D., Mutemi, J., Adefisan, E., Antwi-Agyei, P., Taylor, A., Muita, R., & Nkiaka, E. (2023). Economic Value and Latent Demand for Agricultural Drought Forecast: Emerging Market for Weather and Climate Information in Central-Southern Nigeria. Climate Risk Management, 23, 100478. doi: 10.1016/j.crm.2023.100478
  11. Azadi, Y., Yazdanpanah, M., Forouzani, M., & Mahmoudi, H. (2019). Farmers’ adaptation choices to climate change: a case study of wheat growers in Western Iran. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 10(1), 102–116. doi:10.2166/wcc.2018.242
  12. Campbell, D., Barker, D., & McGregor, D. (2011). Dealing with drought: Small farmers and environmental hazards in southern St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. Applied Geography, 31(1), 146–158. doi:10.1016/j.apgeog.2010.03.007
  13. Chen, H., Wang, J., & Huang, J. (2014). Policy support, social capital, and farmers’ adaptation to drought in China. Global Environmental Change, 24, 193-202. doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2013.11.010
  14. Dang, H. L., Li, E., Nuberg, I., & Bruwer, J. (2019). Factors influencing the adaptation of farmers in response to climate change: A review. Climate and Development, 11(9), 765-774. doi:10.1080/17565529.2018.1562866
  15. Deressa, T. T., Hassan, R. M., Ringler, C., Alemu, T., & Yesuf, M. (2009). Determinants of farmers’ choice of adaptation methods to climate change in the Nile Basin of Ethiopia. Global environmental change, 19(2), 248-255. doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2009.01.002
  16. Eriksen, S., Schipper, E. L. F., Scoville-Simonds, M., Vincent, K., Adam, H. N., Brooks, N., & West, J. J. (2021). Adaptation interventions and their effect on vulnerability in developing countries: Help, hindrance or irrelevance?. World Development, 141, 105383. doi: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105383
  17. FAO. (2015). The Impact of Natural Hazards and Disasters on Agriculture and Food Security and Nutrition. FAO, Rome.
  18. Feldmeyer, D., Wilden, D., Jamshed, A., & Birkmann, J. (2020). Regional climate resilience index: A novel multimethod comparative approach for indicator development, empirical validation and implementation. Ecological Indicators, 119, 106861. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106861
  19. Gholami, M. & Alibigi, A. (2015). Identification of indigenous methods of drought management, case study: Sarpol Zahab city. Rural Research Quarterly, 5(3); 611-683. [In Persian]. https://doi.org/10.22059/JRUR.2014.53183
  20. Gholami, M. Alibigi, A. & Savari, M. (2015). Phenomenology of farmers' perception of drought (case study: Sarpol Zahab city). Economic research and agricultural development, 46(3), 4339-456. https://doi.org/10.22059/IJAEDR.2015.55518 [In Persian].
  21. Hou, L., Huang, J., & Wang, J. (2017). Early warning information, farmers’ perceptions of, and adaptations to drought in China. Climatic change, 141, 197-212. doi:10.1007/s10584-017-1900-9
  22. Huang, J., Wang, Y., & Wang, J. (2015). Farmers' adaptation to extreme weather events through farm management and its impacts on the mean and risk of rice yield in China. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 97(2), 602-617. doi:10.1093/ajae/aav005
  23. Islam, M. A., Warwick, N., Koech, R., Amin, M. N., & de Bruyn, L. L. (2020). The importance of farmers' perceptions of salinity and adaptation strategies for ensuring food security: Evidence from the coastal rice growing areas of Bangladesh. Science of The Total Environment, 727, 138674. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138674
  24. Jiri, O., Mtali-Chafadza, L., & Mafongoya, P. L. (2017). Influence of smallholder farmers’ perceptions on adaptation strategies to climate change and policy implications in Zimbabwe. Change and Adaptation in Socio-Ecological Systems, 3(1), 47-55. doi:10.1515/cass-2017-0005
  25. Johnston, P., Oosthuizen, H.J., Schulze, R.E., Crespo, O., Louw, D.B., Tadross, M.A., Waagsaether, K., & Arowolo, S., (2016). Modelling Impacts of Climate Change on Selected South African Crop Farming Systems. WRC Report No 1882/1/16. Water Research Commission, Pretoria, South Africa.
  26. Lee, T. M., Markowitz, E. M., & Howe, P. D. Ko., Ch., & Leiserowitz, AA, (2015). Predictors of public climate change awareness and risk perception around the world. Nature climate change, 5(11), 1014-1020. doi:10.1038/nclimate2728
  27. Lemi, T., & Hailu, F. (2019). Effects of climate change variability on agricultural productivity. International Journal of Environmental Sciences & Natural Resources, 17, 14-20. doi:10.19080/ijesnr.2019.17.555953
  28. Madani, K., AghaKouchak, A., & Mirchi, A. (2016). Iran’s socio-economic drought: challenges of a water-bankrupt nation. Iranian studies, 49(6), 997-1016. doi:10.1080/00210862.2016.1259286
  29. Maddison, D. (2007). The perception of and adaptation to climate change in Africa. (Vol. 4308). World Bank Publications.
  30. McCabe, J. T., & Quandt, A. (2019). Drought: A Challenge to Livelihoods, Sustainability, and Resilience. In The Angry Earth (pp. 212-226). Routledge.
  31. Melka, Y., Kassa, H., Ketema, M., Abebaw, D., & Schmiedel, U. (2015). The effect of drought risk perception on local people coping decisions in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics, 7(9), 292-302. doi:10.1515/cass-2017-0545
  32. Mohmmed, A., Li, J., Elaru, J., Elbashier, M. M., Keesstra, S., Artemi, C. & Teffera, Z. (2018). Assessing drought vulnerability and adaptation among farmers in Gadaref region, Eastern Sudan. Land use policy, 70, 402-413. doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.11.027
  33. Mupakati, T., & Tanyanyiwa, V. I. (2017). Cassava production as a climate change adaptation strategy in Chilonga Ward, Chiredzi District, Zimbabwe. Journal of Disaster Risk Studies, 9(1), 1-10. doi:10.1080/00210862.2016.1259286
  34. Neisi, M., Bijani, M., Abbasi, E., Mahmoudi, H., & Azadi, H. (2020). Analyzing farmers' drought risk management behavior: Evidence from Iran. Journal of Hydrology, 590, 125243. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125243
  35. Neset, T. S., Wiréhn, L., Klein, N., Käyhkö, J., & Juhola, S. (2019). Maladaptation in Nordic agriculture. Climate Risk Management, 23, 78-87. doi:10.1016/j.crm.2018.12.003
  36. Nkiaka, E., Taylor, A., Dougill, A. J., Antwi-Agyei, P., Fournier, N., Bosire, E. N., & Warnaars, T. (2019). Identifying user needs for weather and climate services to enhance resilience to climate shocks in sub-Saharan Africa. Environmental Research Letters, 14(12), 123003. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ab4dfe
  37. Quandt, A. (2021). Coping with drought: Narratives from smallholder farmers in semi-arid Kenya. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 57, 102168. doi:10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102168
  38. Quandt, A., & Kimathi, Y. A. (2017). Perceptions of the effects of floods and droughts on livelihoods: lessons from arid Kenya. International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 9(3), 337-351. doi:10.1108/IJCCSM-11-2014-0132
  39. Savari, M., & Khaleghi, B. (2023). The role of social capital in forest conservation: An approach to deal with deforestation. Science of The Total Environment, 896, 165216. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165216.
  40. Savari, M., & Moradi, M. (2022). The effectiveness of drought adaptation strategies in explaining the livability of Iranian rural households. Habitat International, 124, 102560. doi:10.1016/j.habitatint.2022.102560
  41. Savari, M., Damaneh, H. E., & Damaneh, H. E. (2023a). Effective factors to increase rural households' resilience under drought conditions in Iran. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 90, 103644. doi:10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.103644
  42. Savari, M., Damaneh, H. E., & Damaneh, H. E. (2023b). The effect of social capital in mitigating drought impacts and improving livability of Iranian rural households. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 89, 103630. doi:10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.103630
  43. Savari, M., Damaneh, H. E., & Damaneh, H. E. (2024d). Managing the effects of drought through the use of risk reduction strategy in the agricultural sector of Iran. Climate Risk Management, 45, 100619. doi:10.1016/j.crm.2024.100619
  44. Savari, M., Jafari, A., & Sheheytavi, A. (2024b). The impact of social capital to improve rural households’ resilience against flooding: evidence from Iran. Frontiers in Water, 6, 1393226.  doi:10.3389/frwa.2024.1393226
  45. Savari, M., Mombeni, A. S., & Izadi, H. (2022). Socio-psychological determinants of Iranian rural households' adoption of water consumption curtailment behaviors. Scientific reports, 12(1), 13077. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-17560-x
  46. Savari, M., Zhoolideh, M., & Limuie, M. (2024a). Factors affecting the use of climate information services for agriculture: evidence from Iran. Climate Services, 33, 100438. doi:10.1016/j.cliser.2023.100438
  47. Savari, M., Zhoolideh, M., & Limuie, M. (2024c). The combination of climate information services in the decision-making process of farmers to reduce climate risks: Application of social cognition theory. Climate Services, 35, 100500. doi:10.1016/j.cliser.2024.100500
  48. Savari, S., Shabanali Fami, H., & Daneshvar Ameri, Z. (2015). Rural women's empowerment in improving household food security in the Divandarreh county. Journal of Research and Rural Planning, 3(4), 107-121.  doi:10.22067/JRRP.V3I8.33836
  49. Shi, J., Visschers, V. H., & Siegrist, M. (2015). Public perception of climate change: The importance of knowledge and cultural worldviews. Risk Analysis, 35(12), 2183-2201. doi:10.1111/risa.12406
  50. Singh, C., Daron, J., Bazaz, A., Ziervogel, G., Spear, D., Krishnaswamy, J., & Kituyi, E. (2018). The utility of weather and climate information for adaptation decision-making: current uses and future prospects in Africa and India. Climate and Development, 10(5), 389-405. doi:10.1080/17565529.2017.1318744
  51. Solh, M., & Van Ginkel, M. (2014). Drought preparedness and drought mitigation in the developing world’s drylands. Weather and Climate Extremes, 3, 62–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wace.2014.03.003
  52. Spence, A., Poortinga, W., Butler, C., & Pidgeon, N.F. (2011). Perceptions of climate change and willingness to save energy related to flood experience. Nature Climate Change, 1, 46–49. doi:10.1038/nclimate1059.
  53. Taylor, J. G., Downton, M. W., & Stewart, T. R. (1988). Adapting to environnmental change: Perceptions and farming practices in the Ogallala Aquifer region. In Arid lands today and tomorrow; International research and development conference (pp. 665-684). doi:10.1038/nclimate1059.
  54. Theron, S. N., Archer, E. R. M., Midgley, S. J. E., & Walker, S. (2022). Exploring farmers' perceptions and lessons learned from the 2015–2018 drought in the Western Cape, South Africa. Journal of Rural Studies, 95, 208-222. doi:10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.09.002
  55. Vincent, K., Dougill, A. J., Dixon, J. L., Stringer, L. C., & Cull, T. (2017). Identifying climate services needs for national planning: insights from Malawi. Climate Policy, 17(2), 189-202. doi:10.1080/14693062.2015.1075374
  56. Wang, J., Yang, Y., Huang, J., & Chen, K.Z. (2015). Information provision, policy support, and farmers’ adaptive responses against drought: An empirical study in the North China Plain. Ecological Modelling, 318, 275–282. doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2014.12.013
  57. Wolf, J., Allice, I., & Bell, T. (2013). Values, climate change, and implications for adaptation: Evidence from two communities in Labrador, Canada. Global Environmental Change, 23(2), 548-562. doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2012.11.007
  58. Woli, P., Jones, J., Ingram, K., & Paz, J. (2013). Forecasting drought using the agricultural reference index for drought (arid): A case study. Weather and forecasting, 28(2), 427-443. doi:10.2134/agronj2011.0286
  59. Yu, H., Wang, B., Zhang, Y. J., Wang, S., & Wei, Y. M. (2013). Public perception of climate change in China: results from the questionnaire survey. Natural hazards, 69, 459-472. doi:10.1007/s11069-013-0711-1
  60. Zhang, L., Hu, J., Li, Y., & Pradhan, N. S. (2018). Public-private partnership in enhancing farmers’ adaptation to drought: Insights from the Lujiang Flatland in the Nu River (Upper Salween) valley, China. Land use policy, 71, 138-145. doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.11.034
  61. Zhang, X., Hao, Z., Singh, V. P., Zhang, Y., Feng, S., Xu, Y., & Hao, F. (2022). Drought propagation under global warming: Characteristics, approaches, processes, and controlling factors. Science of The Total Environment, 838, 156021.‌ doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156021
Journal of Rural Research
Volume 15, Issue 4
December 2024
Pages 19-36

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 25 July 2024
  • Revise Date: 03 November 2024
  • Accept Date: 27 November 2024

Share

How to cite

Statistics