Social determinants of climate adaptation among smallholder farmers in Northern Benin

Title : Social determinants of climate adaptation among smallholder farmers in Northern Benin

Abstract:

Climate change increasingly affects agricultural production in Northern Benin through irregular rainfall, rising temperatures, prolonged dry spells, droughts, floods, and increasing pressure on natural resources. These challenges threaten agricultural productivity, food security, and smallholder farmers' livelihoods. However, farmers differ considerably in their capacity to respond to climate risks, and adaptation decisions are shaped by social, institutional, and socioeconomic conditions.

This study examines the social determinants of climate adaptation among smallholder farmers in Northern Benin and analyzes how socioeconomic characteristics, access to climate information, agricultural extension services, social networks, and productive resources influence adaptation decisions. The study employs a mixed-methods approach combining household surveys, key informant interviews, and field observations across selected agricultural production systems. Descriptive statistics are used to characterize farmers' climate perceptions and adaptation strategies, while econometric analysis is applied to identify factors associated with adaptation.

Results indicate that crop diversification is among the most widely adopted strategies (68%), followed by changes in planting dates (61%), improved and drought-tolerant varieties (54%), soil and water conservation practices (47%), and agroforestry (39%). Access to climate information is reported by 42% of farmers, while 37% have regular access to agricultural extension services and 24% have access to agricultural credit.

The findings highlight that climate adaptation is socially embedded and strongly influenced by access to information, institutions, networks, and productive resources. Strengthening climate information systems, extension services, farmer organizations, and inclusive financing mechanisms could improve farmers' adaptive capacity.

Keywords: climate change, climate adaptation, social determinants, smallholder farmers, agricultural resilience, Northern Benin

Biography:

Maanzou Boukari is a PhD candidate in Sociology of Natural Resources at the University of Parakou and a Research Assistant at the Research Laboratory on Innovation for Agricultural Development (LRIDA) in Benin. His research focuses on sustainable agriculture, agroecological transitions, and climate finance in West Africa. He has over ten years of experience in development project design, implementation, and evaluation across Benin, Niger, and France. He holds multiple certifications in climate justice, project management, and policy evaluation, and contributes to interdisciplinary research on food systems transformation and antimicrobial resistance in agricultural contexts.