Assessment of factors influencing farmers’ adoption of flood-tolerant rice varieties in Nepal

The impact of climate change has become serious and the agricultural sector is especially vulnerable. Adopting stress-tolerant varieties is one of the adaptive strategies, but the adoption of such varieties remains low. Varietal maintenance research, which adds biotic or abiotic stress tolerance to existing varieties, can reduce the climate vulnerability for farmers. In this context, factors that could accelerate the adoption of submergence-tolerant rice (SUB1) varieties are assessed in Chitwan district of Nepal, where rice crops are increasingly exposed to submergence conditions due to flooding. Household surveys were conducted in October 2019 and 2022 in two regions – Madi and Bharatpur – of the district. Data from 268 households were analyzed using a pooled binomial logit model, which can efficiently identify farmers’ adoption decisions. Results reveal that peer learning and an expanding farmer network accelerate the adoption rate. Farmers’ adoption decision also depends on their access to inputs, particularly pesticides. Policies to promote climate resilience should also focus on awareness of SUB1 variety, as well as reducing the constraints faced by resource-poor farmers. Understanding farmers’ decisions in local contexts can promote adoption of stress-tolerant varieties.