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Climate change poses significant risks to agricultural systems, particularly in regions characterized by environmental and socio-economic vulnerabilities. Understanding how farmers perceive climate risks and implement adaptation strategies is essential for designing effective policies that enhance resilience. This study explores the complex interactions between climate awareness, adaptation decisions, and institutional support among Moroccan farmers, providing insights that extend to the broader MENA, Mediterranean, and global agricultural landscapes. Based on a structured field survey and questionnaire conducted with farmers across different agricultural areas, this study employs a multidimensional approach integrating correlation analysis, hierarchical clustering, principal component analysis, and structural equation modeling. Results show that 93.8% of farmers recognize climate change and 69.9% report frequent exposure to extreme weather events, yet only 71.7% express confidence in their adaptive capacity. Principal Component Analysis identified seven components explaining 55.2% of the variance, revealing three thematic sets: behavioral adaptation practices, psychosocial engagement, and structural-demographic determinants. Structural Equation Modeling confirmed significant causal pathways, with stakeholder support clearly enhancing resilience (β = 0.56, p < 0.001), while reliance on external assistance was associated with reduced independent use of adaptation tools (β = −0.44, p < 0.001). The findings highlight several paradoxes. Education increases climate awareness but lowers self-assessed individual adaptation ability, suggesting that higher awareness fosters recognition of systemic risks and dependence on collective action. Farming experience is primarily acquired through age, not schooling, indicating that adaptation knowledge remains largely experiential. Older farmers demonstrate a lower inclination to seek institutional support, reflecting mistrust, self-sufficiency, or limited long-term incentives. These behavioral dynamics reveal gaps in institutional trust, education–action alignment, and policy targeting. From a policy perspective, bridging generational divides through mentorship programs, designing targeted incentives to engage older farmers, and fostering action-oriented climate education are critical. Enhancing institutional outreach to vulnerable groups would further strengthen adaptation capacity. By uncovering these behavioral complexities, this study contributes to a nuanced understanding of climate resilience and underscores the urgency of farmer-centered frameworks that integrate experiential knowledge, scientific expertise, and equitable policy measures.
Salhi et al. (Sat,) studied this question.