Evaluation of the Impact of Climate Change on Livestock Production from the Perspective of Farmers: Yozgat Case

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed at evaluating the effect of climate change on livestock production in Yozgat province by examining the farmers. The main material of the study consisted of the data obtained from face-to-face questionnaires with farmers engaged in animal and crop production together in the villages connected to the center of Yozgat province. In the study, it was determined that the farmers were mostly in the 31-40 age group (44.8%), high school and secondary school graduates (40.0%, 36.0%) and the number of family members was 5-7 people (59.2%). All of the farmers stated that they had heard of the concept of climate change before. When it comes to climate change, farmers mostly report that drought is the first, global warming is the second and changes in seasons are the third. 90.4% of the farmers stated that climate change affects their region. The observed changes were determined to be decreasing precipitation, irregular and changing precipitation, shortening of the precipitation period, and the occurrence of water scarcity. All of the farmers stated that climate change negatively affected animal and plant production. As a result, the farmers participating in the survey have a high awareness of climate change, they are affected by these changes in animal production, there are certain practices that they pay attention to in adapting to these processes and reducing their effects, but the need for information, training, legal practices and inspections to be carried out by relevant institutions on this issue has been particularly emphasized.