Socioeconomic determinants of practical adaptive capacity and food security under climate stress in Western Iran

Climate change poses significant risks to smallholder farmers' livelihoods and food security, particularly in vulnerable agricultural regions. This study examines how multidimensional adaptive capacity is associated with household food insecurity among small-scale farmers and determines the socio-economic factors associated with adaptation strategies in western Iran. Using survey data from 296 farming households, a composite multidimensional adaptation indicator was developed, and structural equation modeling was applied to analyze relationships among adaptation dimensions and food security outcomes. The results show that higher adaptive capacity is associated with lower levels of household food insecurity. Among the adaptation dimensions, institutional and knowledge-based strategies and livelihood diversification exhibit the strongest associations with food security, while other strategies contribute to a lesser extent. In addition, key socioeconomic factors, including education, asset ownership, and access to information, are positively associated with adaptation intensity, while reliance on external credit is negatively associated. These findings highlight the importance of considering adaptation as a multidimensional process and provide empirical evidence to support targeted interventions aimed at strengthening farmers' resilience under climate stress.