Determinants of dairy farmers’ likelihood of climate change adaptation in the Thrace Region of Turkey

The adverse effects of climate change on agricultural production systems threaten food security. In terms of dairy farming, it affects milk yield, quality, animal health, growth, reproduction, forage crops and rangelands. These effects are not only technically, but also socio-economically important, and adaptation is necessary to minimise losses. In this context, the purposes of this research are threefold. The first is to demonstrate how dairy farmers in the Thrace region are affected by climate change; the second is to investigate the adaptation methods they use to minimise farm-level negative effects and finally, to analyse the farm and farmer specific factors that determine the likelihood of adaptation. A total of 140 interviews with dairy farmers were carried out and logistic regression was used to investigate factors affecting their adaptation behaviour. One-third of the farmers changed the feed ration and using supplementary nutrients, while one-fourth of them used cooling systems. The logistic regression model showed that whether the farmer has non-agricultural income, education level, farm-scale, knowledge of climate change and whether children work in the farm were statistically significant factors for adaptation. In conclusion, extension services are recommended to inform smallholder farmers and raise awareness for adaptation by the middle-aged and elderly farmers.