Exploring climate change vulnerability and adaptation among smallholder farmers in Nangarhar, Afghanistan: A social-ecological systems perspective

<p>Climate change vulnerability and adaptation strategies for smallholder farmers in Afghanistan are critical issues that require urgent attention from national, regional, and global climate-savvy stakeholders. This study investigates the climate change perception and adaptation strategies of smallholder farmers in Nangarhar province, utilizing the social-ecological systems perspective. The study employs a qualitative research design, conducting 11 semi-structured interviews with smallholder farmers to explore their lived experience about climate change, adaptation challenges, and indigenous coping strategies. The study used thematic analysis to examine the collected data. The analysis revealed several key themes that emerged from the data, namely climate change perception, adaptation challenges, indigenous coping strategies, government support and intervention, crop-specific impact, economic impact and livelihood, information sources and communication channels, and concerns about floods. The study highlights the challenges faced by farmers, including difficulties in crop production, limited access to quality inputs, and the adverse effects of drought on agricultural productivity. The findings underscore the importance of developing effective adaptation strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on the agricultural sector and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Afghanistan. The study contributes to the understanding of the vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate change and the importance of enhancing their adaptive capacity, with a specific focus on conflict-affected agrarian regions like Afghanistan.</p>