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2. Are smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate variability supported by climatological evidence? Case study of a semi-arid region in South Africa
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Rapholo, Maropene Tebello (author) and Makia, Lawrence Diko (author)
- Format:
- Journal Article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-08-20
- Published:
- International: Emerald
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 201 Document Number: D11860
- Journal Title:
- International Journal of Climate
- Journal Title Details:
- 4
- Notes:
- 15 pages, via online journal, Purpose Literature contends that not much is known about smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate variability and the impacts thereof on agricultural practices in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa in particular. The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of smallholder farmers from Botlokwa (a semi-arid region in South Africa) on climate variability in relation to climatological evidence. Design/methodology/approach The study area is in proximity to a meteorological station and comprises mainly rural farmers, involved in rain-fed subsistence agriculture. Focus group discussions and closed-ended questionnaires covering demographics and perceptions were administered to 125 purposely sampled farmers. To assess farmers’ perceptions of climate variability, their responses were compared with linear trend and variability of historical temperature and rainfall data (1985-2015). Descriptive statistics were used to provide insights into respondents’ perceptions. Findings About 64% of the farmers perceived climate variability that was consistent with the meteorological data, whereas 36% either held contrary observations or were unable to discern. Age, level of education, farming experience and accessibility to information influenced the likelihood of farmers to correctly perceive climate variability. No significant differences in perception based on gender were observed. This study concludes that coping and adaption strategies of over one-third of the farmers could be negatively impacted by wrong perceptions of climate variability. Originality/value This study highlights discrepancies in perceptions among farmers with similar demographic characteristics. To guarantee sustainability of the sector, intervention by government and other key stakeholders to address underlying factors responsible for observed discrepancies is recommended.
3. Australia wildfire coverage is long on koalas, short on causes
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- deMause, Neil (author)
- Format:
- Article
- Publication Date:
- 2020
- Published:
- Australia: Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, New York City, New York
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 124 Document Number: D11203
- Notes:
- Via online. 5 pages
4. Austrian guild and IFAJ president think outside the box
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Blasl, Bianca (author / Austrian Association of Agrarian Journalists and Communicators)
- Format:
- News release
- Publication Date:
- 2020-01-01
- Published:
- International: International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ), Ormstown, Quebec, Canada
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 166 Document Number: D11680
- Notes:
- 3 pages., Via online news release., Report from the annual Eco-Social Forum winter conference in Vienna, Australia.
5. Farm households’ risk perception, attitude and adaptation strategies in dealing with climate change: Promise and perils from rural Pakistan
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Khan, Imran (author), Lei, Hongdou (author), Shah, Irshad Ali (author), Ali, Imad (author), Khan, Inayat (author), Muhammad, Ihsan (author), Huo, Xuexi (author), and Javed, Tehseen (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-02
- Published:
- Science Direct
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 121 Document Number: D11093
- Journal Title:
- Land Use Policy
- Journal Title Details:
- 91
- Notes:
- 11 pages., Pakistan is highly vulnerable to extreme climatic events, such as floods and droughts. This study determines the farmers’ risk perception, risk attitude, adaptation measures and various aspects of vulnerability to climate change (e.g. floods, droughts, heavy rainfalls, pests and disease) at farm level in rural Pakistan. The risk perception and attitude of farm households are crucial factors that influence farm productivity, investment and management decisions at this level. A well-designed questionnaire was used to interview 720 farm households from six districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. A binary logit model was used to determine the main factors that affect the choice of adaptation strategies of the farm household. The findings revealed that crop diversification, changing crop varieties, altering the crop calendar, varying the fertilizer used, mulching and farm insurance were the main adaptation strategies followed by farm households. The results of the binary logit model revealed that age, education, farm size, household size, credit accessibility, annual income and the perception on the increase in temperature and decrease in rainfall had significant influence on the selection of the adaption strategies. The findings of this study can provide guidance, policy recommendations and reference for future researchers.
6. How good are past predictions of global warming?
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Wigley, Tom M.L. (author / University of Adelaide, South Australia)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020
- Published:
- International
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 163 Document Number: D11643
- Journal Title:
- Skeptical Inquirer
- Journal Title Details:
- 44(2)
- Notes:
- 8 pages., Online issue., "Critics of climate science claim that climate models lack predictive skill. In fact, some of the earliest predictions made thirty years ago have performed remarkably well." ... "the bad news is that in terms of action, we are still only scratching the surface of responses needed...to prevent 'dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.' The real challenges lie ahead."
7. Stan cox: the green new deal and beyond: ending the climate emergency while we still can
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Miller, Jacob A. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-06-29
- Published:
- USA: Springer
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 202 Document Number: D12042
- Journal Title:
- Agriculture and Human Values
- Notes:
- 2 pages, via Online Journal, Stan Cox’s The Green New Deal and Beyond argues that the realities of our climate crisis require the elimination of fossil fuels from the U.S. economy and a realignment of the unjust system that allows for their exploitation. Cox’s thesis is that the Green New Deal legislation (GND) is a good first step, but we in the U.S. must also acknowledge and adhere to the limits of economic growth and material consumption. His evidence-driven analysis builds from the IPCC report’s finding that we need to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 if we are to limit global warming to 1.5 °C.
8. The global forest transition as a human affair
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Garcia, Claude A. (author), Sasvilaakso, Sini (author), Verburg, Rene W. (author), Gutierrez, Victoria (author), Wilson, Sarah J. (author), Krug, Cornelia B. (author), Sassen, Marieke (author), Robinson, Brian E. (author), Moersberger, Hannah (author), Naimi, Babak (author), Rhemtulia, Jeanine M. (author), Dessard, Helene (author), Gond, Valery (author), Vermeulen, Cedric (author), Trolliet, Franck (author), Oszwald, Johan (author), Quetier, Fabien (author), Pietsch, Stephan A. (author), Bastin, Jean-Francois (author), Dray, Anne (author), Araujo, Miguel (author), Ghazoul, Jaboury (author), and Waeber, Patrick O. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020
- Published:
- International
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 201 Document Number: D11697
- Journal Title:
- One Earth
- Journal Title Details:
- 2(5) : 417-428
- Notes:
- 12 pages., Authors note no clear evidence that global efforts against forest loss, fragmentation,and degradation of land use are working. As key reason, they point to apparent ineffectiveness in involving all stakeholders involved. "Forest transitions are social and behavioral before they are ecological. Decision makers need to integrate better representations of people's agency in their mental models. ... Games can help decision makers in all of these tasks."
9. Why I'm "freaking out" over fake meat
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Henderson, Greg (author)
- Format:
- Editorial
- Publication Date:
- 2020
- Published:
- USA: Drovers CattleNetwork, Lenexa, Kansas.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 131 Document Number: D11299
- Journal Title:
- Drovers
- Notes:
- 2 pages., Via online., Editorial critical of the Los Angeles Times newspaper for championing the rise of plant-based burger alternatives without context, accuracy and logic.