Assessing Climate Change Impacts on Rural Livelihoods: A Case Study of Adaptive Strategies among Farm Families in Muzaffargarh, Punjab

Abstract

Climate change, being a global phenomenon, significantly impacts all living beings. The agriculture sector in Pakistan is more vulnerable to climate change due to its dependence on the climate and the fact that most Pakistanis directly or indirectly derive their livelihood from this sector. Agricultural production has shown a decreasing trend over the past years, constantly due to variations in the atmospheric conditions, which in turn comprise the farmer’s livelihood, such as income, education, infrastructure and health. The prime objective of this study was to determine the impact of climate change on the rural farm families of Pakistan, mainly focusing on their livelihood. The nature of the study was quantitative. Data was collected by using multistage sampling. The total sample for the study was 200 respondents (50 respondents from each village). The pre-tested interview schedule was used to collect data, and a Chi-square test was applied. According to the outcomes, most farmers belonged to two age groups, 26-35 with 26.5 percent and 36-45 with 25.5 percent. The majority, 24.5% of the respondents, were matric qualified. The primary source of income for 62.0% of the respondents was farm activities. 98.5% of the respondents had heard about climate change. About 64.5% observed unexpected precipitation, and 97.5% percent said the temperature increased due to climate change. Such changes disturbed crop production, as mentioned by 83.0% of the respondents, and about 62.5% observed food safety. While 82.5% were applying adaptive strategies to deal with climatic issues on their own, they still needed the active participation of the government to assist farmers in coping with climate change.