Assessing The Adoption Of Sustainable Agricultural Practices And Livelihood Vulnerability Of Smallholders In Fujian Of China And Potohar Of Pakistan

Purpose:The pressure from on-going increasing population and food requirements with associated environmental impacts requires development and implementation of agricultural practices aiming to increase agroecosystems’ productivity with minimal impacts on natural resources and environment.In developing countries,such as China and Pakistan,the food and financial security of smallholder farmers are increasingly threatened by climate change,contributing to considerable increases in input costs and market price volatility for agricultural commodities.This study aims to assess the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices(SAPs)and livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers due to climate change in selected regions of both China and Pakistan.The purpose of the study was to explore the factors affecting the adoption of SAPs among smallholders and to identify and investigate factors contributing to smallholder farmers’vulnerability to climate changes.Methodology:This study implied both qualitative and quantitative methods to achieve its research objectives.Firstly,focus groups among the farming community and the local agriculture officers were arranged to understand the perception of SAPs and climate change among the smallholders in both regions.On the recommendations and suggestions of focus groups questionnaires were designed and tested the research areas to make it more appropriate and convenient.Formal and informal interviews of the smallholders as well as agricultural officers and field observations were also conducted to support the data and to have deep understanding of the smallholder’s community.Random sampling was done to select 150 respondents in six selected locations of Fujian province,China and 120 respondents in two districts of Potohar region,Pakistan with the aid of structured questionnaires for each country.A multiple regression analysis was done to check the adoption of SAPs while vulnerability was assessed by Livelihood Vulnerability Index(LVI),Livelihood Vulnerability IndexIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(LVI-IPCC),and Livelihood Effect Index(LEI).There were nine major components(Socio-demographic profile,livelihood strategies,knowledge and skills,food,finance,health,water,social networks and,natural vulnerability and climate variability)designed to calculate the livelihood vulnerability of the smallholders in each dimension.These major components were further arranged and grouped into different vulnerability indicators and contributing factors to make up LVIIPCC and LEI.The major components and sub-components were designed keeping in view the social,economic and climatic conditions of the selected areas in both countries.Each major component was comprised of several subcomponents which were averaged to calculate the value of major component.Average temperature and rainfall data for at least last 30 years was obtained from the metrology departments in both countries.Results:Regression analysis showed that the probability and extent of adoption of SAPs,among the smallholders in Fujian,are positively influenced by affiliation with government or non-government organization working in the area for agriculture,access to extension services and availability of agricultural inputs while land size,and age had significant negative effect on adoption of SAPs.In case of Potohar region in Pakistan,literacy of the smallholders,extension services,affiliation and availability of agricultural inputs had positive while land size had significant negative effect on the adoption of SAPs.Moreover,descriptive analysis revealed that most of the smallholders were engaged in the practices having rapid effect on yield rather than intercropping(Fujian 34%;Potohar 40%),zero or conservation tillage(Fujian 45.3%;Potohar 12.5%),mulching(Fujian 24.7%;Potohar 42.5%),fallow cropping(Fujian 14.7%;Potohar 47.5%)and use of organic fertilizers(Fujian 51.3%;Potohar 31.7%).The overall results indicated that only 15.3 percent smallholders in Fujian while 11.7 percent in Potohar regions were willing to perform SAPs in their fields.The results of all three vulnerability indices showed among Fujian province of China,Nanping(LVI 0.507;LVI-IPCC 0.158;LEI 0.570),Sanming(LVI 0.499;LVI-IPCC 0.118;LEI 0.577)and Fuzhou(LVI 0.479;LVI-IPCC 0.147;LEI 0.536)were ranked high vulnerable to climate change impacts as compared to Quanzhou(LVI 0.439;LVI-IPCC 0.075;LEI 0.520),Ningde(LVI 0.465;LVI-IPCC 0.115;LEI 0.519)and Putian(LVI 0.466;LVI-IPCC 0.109;LEI 0.527),while Rawalpindi(LVI 0.492;LVI-IPCC 0.123;LEI 0.472)as slightly more vulnerable as compared to Chakwal(LVI 0.479;LVI-IPCC 0.106;LEI 0.454)in Potohar region of Pakistan.The overall results of Fujian(LVI 0.476;LVIIPCC 0.120;LEI 0.542)and Potohar(LVI 0.486;LVI-IPCC 0.115;LEI 0.463)showed that livelihood of smallholders in Fujian is more affected by climate change impacts as compared to that of in Potohar,whereas other two indices ranked the regions of both countries as almost similar vulnerable to climate change.Conclusions:This study has highlighted the problematic state of smallholder farmers in both China and Pakistan in terms of adoption of SAPs,their high exposure to the climatic hazards and the earnest need to decrease both their present and future vulnerability to these dangers.Using the survey data from the smallholder of Fujian and Potohar,the findings have suggested that the adoption of SAPs,in both countries,generally depends upon the range of socio-economic as well as age,literacy,landholding,interests and provision of extension services and availability of agricultural inputs.Moreover,small landholdings,less innovation,low capitalization and various non-climatic stressors tend to build vulnerability however the strength components,family labor,crop expansion and indigenous knowledge cannot be ignored.Expanding the profitability of smallholder farming systems is a big challenge that will require a critical and specialized,budgetary and political support at national and global levels.However,these indices will be helpful for planners to assess livelihood vulnerability to climate change sways in the regions of both countries and to create projects to reinforce the most vulnerable segments.Replication of this study in the same areas and other locations over the reality of the situation will become obvious eventually how the adaptive capacity,exposure and sensitivity of the districts change as adaptation practices started.Overall,the findings of this dissertation recommend a strategic extension set up for advocating SAPs and livelihood vulnerability.Profitable SAPs form economically attractive packages of product.Under performing attributes need academic and promotional efforts to aim at rising performance and adaptive strategies to mitigate climate change impacts realistically.Moreover,it is also recommended that more advanced statistical and analytical models are needed,in this area of research,to determine the mechanism through which different factors affect the adoption and mitigation strategies to climate change impacts.