Climate change adaptation for agricultural ecosystems: What do the farmers think?

Background/Question/Methods

Changes in the climate affect agricultural ecosystems in direct and complex ways. Although the body of literature investigating climate change mitigation from agriculture in the Midwest is strong and growing, there has been less research on adaptation. While climate change adaptation is beginning to receive more attention from academics, resource managers, and decision makers, little effort has been placed on hearing how farmers experience and view climate change adaptation measures. Climate change demands immediate attention: initiating dialogue regarding what adaptation represents and how best to do it will help farmers to be better situated to take action and be good stewards of agricultural ecosystems. We conducted four farmer focus groups in Michigan in 2012 to determine 1) what differentiates adaptation farmers always do from climate change adaptation and 2) whether understanding of climate change adaptation differs between academics and farmers, and if so, how? The overall goal of this research is to help move the issue of climate change adaptation away from a theoretical discussion towards the production of usable knowledge.

Results/Conclusions

Over the course of four focus groups we met with 26 field crop farmers who represented over 22,000 acres of farmland situated in 10 Michigan counties. Preliminary results indicate that farmers are experiencing changes in the environment and are adapting. However, they expressed repeatedly that farmers always adapt, it is part of their livelihood; and, many struggled to note singular adaptation strategies that are employed or will be employed solely because of changes in the climate. Farmers had difficulty separating adaptations they constantly are making due to drivers such as markets and technology with adaptations made solely because of changes in the climate. When asked what would help them adapt to any future changes in the climate, education and outreach were noted, but farmers were largely unable to list concrete management actions or policies that would help. This research illuminates the complexity of climate change adaptation. It highlights how farmers and academics view adaptation differently, which affects the pertinence and applicability of climate change adaptation research, education, outreach, and policies. These findings will help promote a common understanding of agricultural adaptation and enhance dialogue within and between groups, including farmers, academics, resource managers, and other decision-makers. This research will also help inform adaption measures and discussion points for researchers and natural resource managers of non-agricultural areas.