What values motivate farmers to adopt climate-smart practices? Empirical evidence from a means-end chain analysis in Kenya

Abstract

Farmers in Kenya are vulnerable to climate variability and extreme weather events such as droughts and floods.The resilience of farming households and communities is thus dependent on their ability to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices, which sustain agricultural productivity and incomes, enable climate change adaptation, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Previous studies on adaptation to climate change have mostly focused on biophysical, socioeconomic, political, institutional, and governance factors. Only more recently has the role of cognitive processes—such as attitudes, belief systems, and perceptions about environmental shocks and climate change—begun to receive attention. Farmers’ values and motivations are important to consider because they influence decisions concerning adaptation strategies in ways that can present opportunities as well as obstacles to sustainable adaptation. Additionally, because climate shocks can affect assets of male and female farmers differently, a gender perspective is important.