Climate Change Perception and Adaptation Behaviours Among Root and Tuber Crop Farmers: Towards Improving Climate Action in Agriculture

Farmers play a pivotal role in the urgent action required to address the negative impact of climate change on global agriculture. Additionally, improving climate action in agriculture requires an assessment of farmers’ awareness of climate change and their response to it. Furthermore, it is important to assess this in vulnerable regions of the world and for vulnerable crops like roots and tubers. This study explored climate change perceptions and adaptation behaviours among 82 root and tuber crop farmers in Trinidad and Tobago. The findings indicated a strong awareness among farmers of the escalating impacts of climate change, with significant reports of increased drought (84%), flooding (69%), and rainfall intensity (66%). Farmers’ perceptions of climate-related outcomes were significantly associated with education level (p = 0.032), combined monthly household income (p < 0.001), household size (p ≤ 0.001), and the frequency of extension visits (p < 0.05). Adaptation strategies included the adoption of new irrigation systems, increased use of fertilizers, and diversification of farm income. This study underscores the need for more tailored extension services to effectively communicate and facilitate the implementation of climate change adaptation strategies across diverse farming demographics and contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable climate action.