Does farm location matter? Assessing emerging farmers’ climate change awareness in South Africa

Purpose Research indicates that farmers who are aware of climate change and its impacts are more likely to adapt and cope effectively with climate change challenges than those who are not informed. However, beneficiaries of land reform, who represent the vulnerable groups (Black people), the extent of climate change awareness and factors influencing this knowledge, are not well understood. This study aims to contribute to filling this knowledge gap. Design/methodology/approach A binary logistic regression model (BLRM) is estimated to analyse factors influencing climate change awareness among 1956 proactive land acquisition strategy (PLAS) beneficiaries nationwide. A survey that included 98% of all PLAS beneficiaries in 2018 was carried out through one-on-one surveys to beneficiary farmers across all nine South African provinces by trained enumerators using vernacular languages. Findings Our findings show that the majority (88%) of PLAS beneficiaries are aware of climate change. However, the level of awareness varies depending on the province where the farm is located. The BLRM showed a statistically significant relationship between farmers' awareness of climate change and their farming location. Additionally, factors such as farm size, water use and rights, and exposure to environmental awareness campaigns were identified as statistically significant (at a 95% confidence interval) predictors of climate change awareness among farmers. Originality/value This is the first paper to assess climate change awareness among land reform beneficiaries using a representative national dataset. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-12-2024-1035