Does climate knowledge act as a shield for farm livelihoods? Empirical analysis from the coastal and non-coastal ecosystems of India

Developing countries with agrarian economy have been facing challenges arising from climate change events and its consequences. Climate knowledge influences the adaptation and mitigation measures shielding farm households in climatically vulnerable regions. Indian states with climatically vulnerable coastal and non-coastal agro-ecosystems have dominantly an agrarian economy; and small and marginal farmers’ livelihoods are under focus through implementation of National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. The present study was undertaken in one such state, Odisha. Climate knowledge test was developed following appropriate methods and administered to 200 farmers, 100 each in coastal and non-coastal NICRA districts to assess the knowledge level of dominant livelihood groups. Farmers’ climate knowledge was higher in coastal district as compared to non-coastal district with overall climate knowledge index values of 53.10 and 43.95, respectively. Farmers who engaged in crop + livestock farming have better climate knowledge as compared to crop farmers and livestock farmers. Multiple regression and path analyses revealed social, economic, communication and psychological attributes of the farmers determining their climate knowledge level. Education level, social participation, participation in community initiatives, annual family income and personal cosmopolite information sources use are few such important determinants of climate knowledge. These dimensions require attention for the policy advocacies to improve climate knowledge so as to shield climatically vulnerable farm households.