Adaptation Strategies and Perceptions of Moroccan Farmers Facing Climate Change
$ 49.5
Description
The present study addresses climate change and its impact on yields and agricultural production in the province of Khemisset, an area considered among the most vulnerable to climate change in the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region. The methodology employed combines quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The tools used for data processing include descriptive statistics and principal components analysis (SPSS). In total, 120 research units were surveyed in four rural communes. The peasant community is not homogeneous; four categories of producers (young farmers, adults, men and women, large and small farm operators, etc.) have been identified to analyze perceptions and peasant strategies developed based on soil type (Byad, Tirs, Hamri, and Rmel), vegetation, and livestock. The main conclusions derived from the study's results are: an unfavourable evolution of climate parameters was observed over the last two decades (1985-2015); virtually all producers in the studied area perceive a negative evolution of the various climate parameters, which is consistent in most cases with meteorological data analysis (DMN); changes and climate variability have negative impacts on agriculture; the local populations have a good understanding of the evolution of agricultural yields. Some peasants in Zemmour respond to the effects of climate change by using fertilizers, crop rotation, early crop varieties, and other types of adaptations. By contrast, many peasants do not develop a strategy for responding to global warming.