FARMER AWARENESS, RISK PERCEPTION AND ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE: IS THE INDONESIANS’ CLIMATE PROGRAM MAKES A DIFFERENCE?

Abstract

To improve the implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation, the Indonesian government launched the Climate Village Program (CVP). However, the program’s success is determined by the community’s awareness and perception of climate change because these factors influence the implementation of adaptation and mitigation. This study investigates farmers’ awareness, risk perceptions and adaptation to climate change in the CVP’s locations. The study was conducted in Sleman and Sukoharjo Regencies, with a sample of 186 rice farmers selected using a simple random sampling method. Unpaired t-test analysis and bivariate ordered probit regression were developed in this study. The findings show that CVP farmers are more aware of dry and rainy season temperatures, wind speed during the rainy season and the uncertainty of changing seasons than non-CVP farmers, with differences in awareness (in per cent) of 16.73, 7.086, 5.851 and 14.016, respectively. CVP farmers also have a higher perception of the risk of increasing wind speed than non-CVP farmers with a perception difference (in per cent) of 11.678. The location of the CVP increases the likelihood of awareness but does not affect risk perception. Furthermore, we also found a link between awareness, risk perception, adaptation to climate change and CVP.