Micro-level adaptation strategies by smallholders to adapt climate change in the least developed countries (LDCs): Insights from Afghanistan

The South Asian countries are amongst the most affected countries by climate change mainly due to poverty and complex socio-economic-demographic challenges. Afghanistan, a South Asian country, is affected by climate change, extreme weather events and losses accompanying its poor adaptation status. Therefore, the present study intends to evaluate the adaptation strategies of smallholder farmers based on primary data collected through pre-tested questionnaire from 260 households distributed in 26 villages across both plain and mountain regions of Yangi Qala district, Afghanistan. The questionnaire contained questions about the general household information and farm-level adaptation strategies by smallholders. Logistic regression models were applied to four major adaptation strategies practiced by the farmers in form of scientific techniques applied during crop cultivation; cultivation of drought-resistant varieties; cultivation of new crop and migration of family members with household characteristics for each region considered separately as well as jointly. The results confirmed that household characteristics like house type, LPG usage, livestock population, irrigated land area, education, secondary profession and male population determined the strategies to abate climate risks by the peasant smallholders of the region. The study highlights the need to identify the in-situ barriers and enablers of adaptation to facilitate an expanded uptake of adaptation practices by smallholders. Therefore, the government must employ policies addressing the challenges by applying a community-inclusive approach for climate adaptation in agriculture.