Climate change adaptation: policy, practice and adaptation gaps in the agriculture sector in Bangladesh, India and Nepal

Purpose Various national and international policy instruments have been formulated to minimize vulnerability to climate risk at all scales, from the global to the local. However, gaps in adaptation and the adaptation process pose major impediments to the current climate change response in South Asia. This paper aims to examine climate change adaptation (CCA) policy implementation practices in Nepal, Bangladesh and India at the local level and identify adaptation gaps in the agriculture sector. Design/methodology/approach The study uses primary and secondary data and triangulation methods following a qualitative approach. A household survey, focus group discussion, key informant interview, policy documents and extensive literature review were conducted to examine policy and adaptation gaps. Findings The study found that, despite the provision limited access to finance, knowledge various financial instruments for CCA, smallholder farmers in India have very limited access. In contrast, farmers in Bangladesh have higher access to institutions, but their willingness to participate is low and the government’s delivery mechanism is poor. In Nepal, farmers face barriers to physical access and have limited financial instruments. Lack of sectoral integration, alignment on CCA targets and financing at the local level are major gaps on the policy front. Lack of understanding and awareness of CCA in a local sociocultural context among implementation authorities and weak institutional mechanisms are gaps at the institutional front. Reactive adaptation, such as increased use of chemical fertilizers and changing crop varieties without proper understanding, is a common adaptive action (inclining toward maladaptation) among farmers. Originality/value This paper recommends that understanding the adaptation response during policy updates and the implementation process offers insights into future anticipation and responses for successful CCA policy implementation.