Livelihoods and Perceptions of Climate Change among Dairy Farmers in the Andes: Implications for Climate Education

Julio C. Vargas-Burgos, Marco Heredia-R (), Yenny Torres, Laura Puhl, Biviana N. Heredia, Jhenny Cayambe, Julio Hernán-González, Alexandra Torres, Marcelo Luna, Theofilos Toulkeridis and Bolier Torres
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Julio C. Vargas-Burgos: Facultad de Ciencias Pecuarias y Biológicas, Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo (UTEQ), Quevedo Av. Quito km, 1 1/2 Vía a Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Quevedo 120550, Ecuador
Marco Heredia-R: Facultad de Ciencias Pecuarias y Biológicas, Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo (UTEQ), Quevedo Av. Quito km, 1 1/2 Vía a Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Quevedo 120550, Ecuador
Yenny Torres: Facultad de Ciencias Pecuarias y Biológicas, Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo (UTEQ), Quevedo Av. Quito km, 1 1/2 Vía a Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Quevedo 120550, Ecuador
Laura Puhl: Departamento de Métodos Cuantitativos y Sistemas de Información, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1417, Argentina
Biviana N. Heredia: Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE Sede Latacunga, Latacunga 050102, Ecuador
Jhenny Cayambe: School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador—Ibarra (PUCESI), Imbabura 100112, Ecuador
Julio Hernán-González: Cátedra de Producción Lechera, Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1417, Argentina
Alexandra Torres: Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas, Sociales y de la Educación, Universidad Técnica de Babahoyo, Extensión Quevedo (UTB), Km 3 1/2 Vía a Valencia, Los Ríos 120550, Ecuador
Marcelo Luna: Faculty of Earth Sciences, Amazon State University (UEA), Pastaza 160101, Ecuador
Theofilos Toulkeridis: Department of Earth Sciences and Construction, University of the Armed Forces ESPE, Av. General Rumiñahui S/N, Sangolquí 171103, Ecuador
Bolier Torres: Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Estatal Amazónica (UEA), Puyo 160101, Ecuador

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 17, 1-16

Abstract: Climate change mainly affects the production and consumption systems associated with food, livelihoods, production (e.g., reduced milk production), water, and land use. The role of local knowledge is recognized as important for decision-making under changing circumstances. This study was conducted in the northern part of the Ecuadorian Andes using a sample of 170 dairy-cattle-farming households. The objectives were to: (i) characterize the rural livelihoods of dairy cattle farmers; (ii) evaluate access to climate information and perceptions of climate change; and (iii) determine the relationship between livelihoods and perceptions of climate change. Significant differences were identified between the groups evaluated in relation to the dairy farmers’ livelihoods. In addition, 85.29% of the respondents indicated that climate information is important, but 67.83% did not trust the sources of information. It was found that there is a significant relationship between the level of education and age with the variables of climate change perceptions. This combined knowledge will allow people to promote agri-environmental and educational policies to achieve climate literacy at a rural level.

Keywords: climate change; livestock farmers; rural livelihoods; climate education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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