Adapting to Water Scarcity: Effects of Irrigation Management

In developing countries, farmers are dealing with climatic changes by adapting their agricultural practices. Little work has investigated the direct impact of structural variables (e.g., central vs. local management of irrigation water, location of village), psychological variables (e.g., risk perceptions, self-efficacy), and adaptation on crop yield. We tested a psychology-based model that focused on risk perceptions and efficacy beliefs by longitudinally surveying 278 Sri Lankan rice farmers. We assessed risk perceptions and efficacy beliefs before the major paddy-growing season and measured whether farmers performed adaptations as well as their paddy yield/acre after the season. The model significantly predicted more than 25% of the variance in crop yield, with increased yields associated with centrally managed irrigation resources and with farmers low in perceived climate risk at the start of the growing season. Findings support the notion that while psychological factors are important, structural variables are the most important predictors of farm productivity in times of uncertain water supply.

Grantor dc:publisher

UNF Digital Commons

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Provenzano, Andrew

• Thesis; University of North Florida; UNF; Dissertations
• Academic -- UNF -- Psychology; Dissertations
• Academic -- UNF -- Master of Arts in General Psychology; efficacy; risk perception; climate change; adaptation; common pool resources
• Multicultural Psychology
• Social Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/582

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.unf.edu:etd-1610