MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES FOR CLIMATE VARIABILITY: A CASE OF COTTON GROWERS IN THE PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Climate change has become a severe threat to the development and communities around the globe are already experiencing the sudden impacts. It is also being assumed that climate change will have significant negative impacts on agricultural productivity of developing nations of Asia in forthcoming years. Pakistan is one of the Asian countries’ most vulnerable to climate variability. In this respect present study was conducted in southern Punjab, Pakistan. Southern Punjab is famous for cotton productivity and cotton is also assumed as risky crop as well. In this respect 80 cotton growers were interviewed as respondents to explore the climate variability/change awareness and farmers mitigation strategies. Findings of the study indicated that farmers’ awareness regarding climate variability was very poor they were just having knowledge on behalf of their farming experience. Moreover, role of information sources including public and private sector, electronic media and ICT’s was very poor. Farmers were having awareness about climate change impacts on cotton crop of medium level (Average mean value:  2.12). Varied response was seen regarding causes of climate change. In addition, adaptations of mitigation strategies such as conservation agriculture, cover cropping, migration to less weather prone area and usage of weather resistant varieties were almost negligible. Conservation agriculture could be the most viable strategy s farmers have to utilize their existing resources in judicious ways. It is suggested on the basis of findings that role of extension field staff should be diversified. Farmers need capacity building regarding conservation agriculture. Moreover, it is dire need to popularize climate variability/change and its adaptation through effective media campaign.