Climate Change Adaptation by Smallholder Tea Farmers: a Case Study of Nepal

Climate change is threatening the livelihood of tea farmers in Nepal. Simultaneously, the production of tea is becoming an increasingly important economic sector for the country. This study aimed to reveal the adaptation behavior towards climate change among smallholder tea farmers, particularly which demographic, institutional, and information source factors are likely to influence the degree of adaptation. We collected quantitative data in the district of Ilam via 91 farmers through a questionnaire survey and applied descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and binary logistic regression models to analyze the collected data. Findings revealed that information sources (peer exchange, internet, and training attendance), as well as institutional factors (cooperative membership and credit access), positively influenced the degree of climate change adaptation among the respondents. Easier credit access and joining cooperatives could enhance the adaptative capacity of smallholder tea farmers. Improving the interaction between the Nepalese government and stakeholders involved in the domestic tea value chain could also increase economic success.

Automated summary

Climate change poses a threat to the livelihood of tea farmers in Nepal, but tea production is an increasingly important economic sector for the country. The study found that information sources and institutional factors positively influence the degree of climate change adaptation among tea farmers. Easier access to credit and cooperative membership can enhance the adaptive capacity of smallholder tea farmers. Improving collaboration between the Nepalese government and stakeholders in the tea value chain could lead to increased economic success.