Farmers’ perceptions of climate change affect their adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies in the Brazilian Amazon and Atlantic Forest biomes

Tarik Tanure (), Rafael Faria de Abreu Campos (), Júlio César Reis (), Rayna Benzeev (), Peter Newton (), Renato Aragão Ribeiro Rodrigues () and Ana Maria Hermeto Camilo de Oliveira ()
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Tarik Tanure: Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU
Rafael Faria de Abreu Campos: Federal University of Viçosa – UFV
Júlio César Reis: Embrapa Cerrados
Rayna Benzeev: University of Colorado Boulder
Peter Newton: University of Colorado Boulder
Renato Aragão Ribeiro Rodrigues: Federal Fluminense University, Outeiro São João Baptista s/n – Centro
Ana Maria Hermeto Camilo de Oliveira: Federal University of Minas Gerais

Climatic Change, 2024, vol. 177, issue 1, No 8, 24 pages

Abstract: Abstract Farmers’ perceptions about climate change may help to explain the farming systems that they adopt and the effectiveness of their production practices in mitigating the negative impacts of the agricultural sector on the environment. This study analyzed the perceptions of 273 farmers participating in the Sustainable Rural Project—a large-scale climate change mitigation project in Brazil—that promoted the adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies in the Brazilian Amazon and Atlantic Forest biomes. Using a principal component analysis, we developed a Climate Change Perception Indicator (CCPI): an index to categorize farmers according to their perceptions about the impacts of climate change on agriculture. Our results indicate that farmers’ motivations to adopt sustainable agricultural practices were strongly driven by economic factors. We also found evidence to suggest that political agendas can influence farmers’ environmental perceptions. Moreover, older farmers with a higher level of education and more experience tended to demonstrate a stronger concern about climate change. However, the level of adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies was generally low, and a lack of technical knowledge and financial support may hinder widespread adoption of these practices. Thus, an approach that includes consideration of farmers’ perceptions about the impacts of climate change on their business may improve outcomes from the Sustainable Rural Project and other projects that aim to enhance the adoption of sustainable agriculture technologies.

Keywords: Projeto Rural Sustentável; Perceptions; Climate change; Policy; Technology Adoption; Q01; Q16; Q54 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s10584-023-03657-3

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