Abstract
Climate change has adverse consequences for socioeconomic activities such as agriculture, as it can affect crop yields and production costs. Farmers' adaptation to the impacts caused by this phenomenon may be limited because they do not perceive the problem, have limited knowledge of the subject or by lack of willingness to change certain behaviors. In this way, the objectives of this research were to know the farmers’ perception of climate change, if what they perceive match with the trends of the climate records of temperature and rainfall, as well as to assess the level of knowledge that farmers have about climate change. This with the purpose of laying the foundations for the adaptation to climate change in the municipality of Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico. A structured survey was applied in 1111 agricultural households selected at random and proportionally in 153 communities. The results show that 43% of respondents have an acceptable level of knowledge about climate change and that 89.4% perceive changes in climate, mainly in temperature, but this is not statistically corroborated with climate records. Likewise, 52.2% attribute the problem to anthropogenic causes, mainly pollution. They point out that this phenomenon could decrease agricultural production; generate higher electricity consumption and a higher incidence of diseases. The vast majority of respondents is willing to implement actions to minimize the problem and its impact on the region; however, an awareness-raising program is needed about the problem (causes, impacts, and the way to face it).
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abera, N., & Tesema, D. (2019). Perceptions and practices of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies among farmers in the Konta Special District. Ethiopia. Environmental and Socio-Economic Studies, 7(4), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.2478/environ-2019-0019
Adger, W. N., Huq, S., Brown, K., Conway, D., & Hulme, M. (2003). Adaptation to climate change in the developing world. Progress in Development Studies, 3, 179–195. https://doi.org/10.1191/1464993403ps060oa
Adger, W. N., Dessai, S., Goulden, M., Hulme, M., Lorenzoni, I., Nelson, D. R., & Wreford, A. (2009). Are there social limits to adaptation to climate change? Climatic Change, 93, 335–354. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-008-9520-z
Adiyoga, W. (2018). Farmers’ perceptions on climate change in lowland and highland vegetable production centers of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/122/1/012001
Ahumada-Cervantes, R. (2017). Vulnerabilidad ante el cambio climático del sector agrícola del Estado de Sinaloa. Ciencia Desde El Occidente, 4(2), 7–18.
Ahumada-Cervantes, R., Velázquez-Angulo, G., Rodríguez-Gallegos, H. B., Flores-Tavizón, E., Félix-Gastélum, R., Romero-González, J., & Granados-Olivas, A. (2017). An indicator tool for assessing local vulnerability to climate change in the Mexican agricultural sector. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 22(1), 137–152. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-015-9670-z
Ahumada-Cervantes, R., Velázquez-Angulo, G., & Ahumada-Cervantes, B. (2018). Adaptación del sector agrícola ante el cambio climático: Propuesta de medidas a escala espacial fina en Guasave, Sinaloa, México. Acta Universitaria, 28(1), 46–56. https://doi.org/10.15174/au.2018.1351
Ajuang, C. O., Abuom, P. O., Bosire, E. K., Dida, G. O., & Anyona, D. N. (2016). Determinants of climate change awareness level in upper Nyakach Division, Kisumu County, Kenya. Springer plus, 5(1), 1015. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-016-2699-y
Alencar, K. M., & Silva, R. (2017). Tendencia pluviometrica y concentración estacional de precipitación en la cuenca hidrográfica del Río Moxotó–Pernamcuco–Brasil. Revista Geográfica De América Central, 58, 295–313. https://doi.org/10.15359/rgac.58-1.12
Ali, M. F., & Rose, S. (2021). Farmers’ perception and adaptations to climate change: Findings from three agro-ecological zones of Punjab, Pakistan. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28, 14844–14853. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11472-x
Amjath-Babu, T., Krupnik, T. J., Aravindakshan, S., Arshad, M., & Kaechele, H. (2016). Climate change and indicators of probable shifts in the consumption portfolios of dryland farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa: Implications for policy. Ecological Indicators, 67, 830–838. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.03.030
Arbuckle, J. G., Morton, L. W., & Hobbs, J. (2013). Farmer beliefs and concerns about climate change and attitudes toward adaptation and mitigation: Evidence from Iowa. Climatic Change, 118, 551–563. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-013-0700-0
Asare-Nuamah, P., & Botchway, E. (2019). Comparing smallholder farmers’ climate change perception with climate data: The case of Adansi North District of Ghana. Heliyon, 5(12), E03065. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e03065
Attavanich, W., Rashford, B. S., Adams, R. M., & McCarl, B. A. (2014). Land use, climate change and ecosystem services. In J. M. Duke & J. Wu (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of land economics (pp. 255–280). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199763740.013.008
Atube, F., Malinga, G. M., Nyeko, M., Okello, D. M., Mugonola, B., Omony, G. W., & Okello-Uma, I. (2022). Farmers’ perceptions of climate change, long-term variability and trends in rainfall in Apac district, northern Uganda. CABI Agriculture and Bioscience. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-022-00116-4
Ayanlade, A., Radeny, M., & Morton, J. F. (2017). Comparing smallholder farmers’ perception of climate change with meteorological data: A case study from southwestern Nigeria. Weather and Climate Extremes, 15, 24–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wace.2016.12.001
Banco Mundial (2013). Las dimensiones sociales del cambio climático en México. World Bank. https://www2.congreso.gob.pe/sicr/cendocbib/con4_uibd.nsf/E95B872BEED9C4CA05257F5B0054C2BA/$FILE/Las_dimensiones_sociales_del_cambio_clim%C3%A1tico_mexico.pdf
Berger, A. (1986). Annual and saesonal climatic variations the northern hemisphere and Europe during the last century. Annales Geophysicae, 4(4), 385–400.
Biswas, S., Chatterjee, S., & Roy, D. C. (2020). Understanding of farmers’ perception of climate change and adaptation strategies: A case study in Jhargram district of West Bengal India. Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 12(2), 207–212. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.vi.2241
Briggs, J. (2013). Indigenous knowledge: A false dawn for development theory and practice? Progress in Development Studies, 13, 231–243. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464993413486549
Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE). (2022). Base de datos climatológica nacional (Sistema CLICOM). http://clicom-mex.cicese.mx/mapa.html
Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA). (2018). Estadísticas Agrícolas de los Distritos de Riego, Año Agrícola 2016–2017. https://files.conagua.gob.mx/conagua/publicaciones/Publicaciones/EA_2016-2017.pdf
Das, D. K. (2009). Globalisation and an emerging global middle class. Blackwell Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0270.2009.01927.x
Dinesh, D., Zougmore, R. B., Vervoort, J., Totin, E., Thornton, P. K., Solomon, D., Shirsath, P. B., Pede, V. O., Lopez Noriega, I., Läderach, P., Körner, J., & Campbell, B. M. (2018). Facilitating change for climate-smart agriculture through science-policy engagement. Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10082616
Diario Oficial de la Federación (DOF). (2014). Programa Especial de Cambio Climático 2014–2018. http://dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5342492&fecha=28/04/2014
Eneji, C. V. O., Onnoghen, N. U., Acha, J. O., & Diwa, J. B. (2020). Climate change awareness, environmental education and gender role burdens among rural farmers of Northern Cross River State, Nigeria. International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 13(4/5), 397–415.
Findlater, K. M., Satterfield, T., Kandlikar, M., & Donner, D. D. (2018). Six languages for a risky climate: How farmers react to weather and climate change. Climatic Change, 148, 451–465. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-018-2217-z
Gallardo-Milanés, O. A., & Hardy-Casado, V. (2016). Las comunidades rurales ante el cambio climático. Estudio en Monte Alto, Holguín-Cuba. Ciencia En Su PC, 1, 1–14.
González, D., Vermonden, A., Montes, R., Nava, T.S., López, F., Gress, F., Enríquez, C. (2019). Atlas nacional de vulnerabilidad al cambio climático (1 eds). Instituto Nacional de Ecología y Cambio Climático. https://atlasvulnerabilidad.inecc.gob.mx/
González-Martínez, S. L., Silva-García, J. T., Ávila-Meléndez, L. A., Moncayo-Estrada, R., Cruz-Cárdenas, G., & Ceja-Torres, L. F. (2017). El fenómeno de cambio climático en la percepción de la comunidad indígena purépecha del municipio de Chilchota, Michoacán, México. Revista Internacional De Contaminación Ambiental, 33(4), 641–653.
Harun, R., Jamalani, M. A., Elawad, R. E., & Fallah, M. (2014). Perception of and adaptation to climate change by farmers in the semi-arid zone of North-eastern Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology, 8(11), 52–57. https://doi.org/10.9790/2402-081115257
H. Ayuntamiento de Guasave. (2022). Información de Guasave. http://guasave.gob.mx/s/informacion-de-guasave/
Hundera, H., Mpandeli, S., & Bantider, A. (2019). Smallholder farmers’ awareness and perceptions of climate change in Adama district, central rift valley of Ethiopia. Weather and Climate Extremes, 26, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wace.2019.100230
Instituto Nacional de Ecología y Cambio Climático (INECC) & Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT). (2018). Sexta Comunicación Nacional y Segundo Informe Bienal de Actualización ante la Convención Marco de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Cambio Climático. INECC & SEMARNAT. https://cambioclimatico.gob.mx/sexta-comunicacion/introduccion.php
Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI). (2009). Prontuario de información geográfica municipal de los estados unidos Mexicanos. INEGI.
Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI). (2021). México en Cifras: Guasave, Sinaloa. https://www.inegi.org.mx/app/areasgeograficas/?ag=25
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2007). Resumen para Responsables de Políticas. In M. L. Parry, O. F. Canziani, J. P. Palutikof, P. J. van der Linden, & C. E. Hanson (Eds.), En cambio climático 2007: Impactos y vulnerabilidad. Contribución del grupo de trabajo II al cuarto informe de evaluación del IPCC. Cambridge University Press.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2013). Summary for policymakers. In T. Stocker, D. Qin, K. Plattner, M. Tignor, S. Allen, J. Boschung, & P. Midgley (Eds.), The physical science basis. Contribution of working group I to the fifth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (pp. 1–34). Cambridge University Press.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2014). Summary for policymakers. In C. B. Field, V. R. Barros, D. J. Dokken, K. J. Mach, M. D. Mastrandrea, T. E. Bilir, & L. L. White (Eds.), Climate change 2014: impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Part A: global and sectoral aspects. Contribution of working group II to the fifth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (pp. 1–32). Cambridge University Press.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2021). Summary for Policymakers. In V. P. Masson-Delmotte, A. Zhai, S. L. Pirani, C. Connors, S. Péan, N. Berger, & B. Zhou (Eds.), Climate change 2021: The physical science basis. Contribution of working group I to the sixth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (pp. 3–32). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009157896.001
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2022). Summary for Policymakers. In H. O. Pörtner, D. C. Roberts, M. Tignor, E. S. Poloczanska, K. Mintenbeck, A. Alegría, M. Craig, S. Langsdorf, S. Löschke, V. Möller, A. Okem, & B. Rama (Eds.), Climate change 2022: Impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Contribution of working group II to the sixth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (pp. 3–33). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009325844.001
Ishaya, S., & Abaje, I. B. (2008). Indigenous people’s perception on climate change and adaptation strategies in Jema’a local government area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Nigeria. Geography and Regional Planning, 1(8), 138–143. https://doi.org/10.5897/JGRP.9000080
Limantol, A. M., Keith, B. E., Azabre, B. A., & Lennartz, B. (2016). Farmers’ perception and adaptation practice to climate variability and change: A case study of the Vea catchment in Ghana. Springerplus, 5, 830. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-016-2433-9
Munthali, C. K., Kasulo, V., & Matamula, S. (2016). Smallholder farmers perception on climate change in Rumphi District, Malawi. Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, 8(10), 202–210. https://doi.org/10.5897/JAERD2016.0798
Niles, M. T., & Mueller, N. D. (2016). Farmer perceptions of climate change: Associations with observed temperature and precipitation trends, irrigation, and climate beliefs. Global Environmental Change, 39, 133–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2016.05.002
Oluwatimilehin, I. A., & Ayanlade, A. (2021). Agricultural community-based impact assessment and farmers’ perception of climate change in selected ecological zones in Nigeria. Agriculture and Food Security, 10, 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-020-00275-5
Orduño-Torres, M. A., Kallas, Z., Ornelas-Herrera, S. I., & Guesmi, B. (2019). Is technical efficiency affected by farmers’ preference for mitigation and adaptation actions against climate change? A Case Study in Northwest Mexico. Sustainability, 11(12), 3291. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123291
Ozor, N., Umunakwe, P. C., Ani, A. O., & Nnadi, F. N. (2015). Perceived impacts of climate change among rural farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 10(14), 1756–1764. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJAR2015.9618
Panda, A. (2016). Exploring climate change perceptions, rainfall trends and perceived barriers to adaptation in a drought affected region in India. Natural Hazards, 84, 777–796. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-016-2456-0
Ricart, D., Olcina, J., & Rico, A. M. (2018). Evaluating public attitudes and farmers’ beliefs towards climate change adaptation: Awareness, perception, and populism at european level. Land, 8(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.3390/land8010004
Riviere-Honegger, A., Cottet, M., & Morandi, B. (2015). Connaître les perceptions et les représentations: quels apports pour la gestion des milieux aquatiques? ONEMA, Comprendre pour agir, 979-10-91047-35-7. Halshs-01248761.
Shi-yan, Z., Gen-xin, S., Yao-chen, Q., Xin-yue, Y., & Leipnik, M. (2018). Climate change and Chinese farmers: Perceptions and determinants of adaptive strategies. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 17(4), 949–963. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(17)61753-2
Soares, D., García, A., & Manzano, L. (2018). Cambio climático. Percepciones sobre manifestaciones, causas e impactos en el distrito de temporal tecnificado margaritas-comitán, Chiapas. Ciencia Ergo Sum, 25, 1.
Sosa-Rodríguez, F. S. (2015). Política del cambio climático en México: avances, obstáculos y retos. Realidad, datos y espacio. Revista Internacional De Estadística y Geografía, 6, 4–23.
Tessema, I., & Simane, B. (2021). Smallholder Farmers’ perception and adaptation to climate variability and change in Fincha sub-basin of the upper blue Nile River basin of Ethiopia. GeoJournal, 86, 1767–1783. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-020-10159-7
Waibel, H., Pahlisch, T. H., & Völker, M. (2018). Farmers’ perceptions of and adaptations to climate change in Southeast Asia: The case study from Thailand and Vietnam. In L. Lipper, N. McCarthy, D. Zilberman, S. Asfaw, & G. Branca (Eds.), Climate Smart Agriculture. Natural Resource Management and Policy (pp. 137–160). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61194-5_7
Viguera, B., Alpízar, F., Harvey, C. A., Martínez-Rodríguez, M. R., & Saborío-Rodríguez, M. (2019a). Percepciones de cambio climático y respuestas adaptativas de caficultores costarricenses de pequeña escala. Agronomía Mesoamericana, 30(2), 333–352.
Viguera, B., Alpízar, F., Harvey, C. A., Martínez-Rodríguez, M. R., Saborío-Rodríguez, M., & Contreras, L. (2019b). Percepciones de cambio climático y respuestas adaptativas de pequeños agricultores en dos paisajes guatemaltecos. Agronomía Mesoamericana, 30(2), 313–333.
Woldeamlak, B. (2012). Climate change perceptions and adaptive responses of smallholder farmers in central highlands of Ethiopia. International Journal of Environmental Studies, 69(3), 507–523.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the students of the Environmental Engineering Educational Program of the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente of Guasave Regional Unit for their support in the collection of field data. Thanks to the anonymous reviewers who helped improved the manuscript.
Funding
No funding was received for conducting this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.
Human or animals and informed consent
This research did not experiment with humans or animals. Prior informed consent of respondents was sought before the data collection process.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Ahumada-Cervantes, R., González-Márquez, L.C., Martínez-Álvarez, I.G. et al. Exploring climate change perceptions, climate trends and the level of knowledge on the subject in farmers from Guasave, Mexico. GeoJournal 88, 6453–6465 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-023-10978-4
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-023-10978-4