behavior change grouped into five domains: knowledge, practices, access to assets,
partnership and organization. These characteristics can help efforts to construct
quantitative indicators of climate change adaptation at local level. Further, the
results suggest that application of behavioral change theories can facilitate the
development of climate change adaptation indicators that are complementary to
indicators of development outcomes. We conclude that collecting stories on behavioral changes can contribute to biophysical adaptation monitoring and evaluation.
Keywords Behavioral changes • Climate change • Monitoring • Evaluation
14.1 Introduction
Adaptation to climate change refers to adjustments of physical, ecological and
human systems that increase societies’ abilities to cope with the change (see
Box 14.1). This may involve any adjustment to the physical systems, social or
environmental processes, or perceptions of climate risk, practices and functions that
reduce risks and increase exploitation of new (or previously overlooked) opportunities. Agriculture is particularly sensitive, because it will be significantly affected
by climate change through effects on water availability, temperatures, soil processes, pests, pathogens and competitors, which in turn will influence crop productivity at farm level (Turral et al. 2011).
Box 14.1: Adaptation, Adaptive Capacity and Food Security
Adaptation is an adjustment in natural or human systems in response to
actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm
or exploits beneficial opportunities (IPCC 2014b).
Adaptive capacity is the ability of systems, institutions, humans, and other
organisms to adjust to potential damage, to take advantage of opportunities, or to respond to consequences of climate change (IPCC 2014b).
Food security exists when all people at all times have physical or economic
access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs
and food preferences for an active and healthy life (FAO 2008).
At the center of climate change adaptation efforts are interventions intended to
boost adaptive capacity and/or stimulate adaptive action (Pringle 2011). Fortunately, there are several categories of adaptive options in agriculture, including:
technological developments, government programs, insurance, and modifications
of farm production and/or financial management practices (Smit and Skinner 2002).
Nevertheless, to date agricultural adaptation initiatives have mainly focused on
mitigating risks to crop productivity associated with changing climatic conditions.
Furthermore, links between climate change and food productivity have been largely
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J. Somda et al.
partnership and organization. These characteristics can help efforts to construct
quantitative indicators of climate change adaptation at local level. Further, the
results suggest that application of behavioral change theories can facilitate the
development of climate change adaptation indicators that are complementary to
indicators of development outcomes. We conclude that collecting stories on behavioral changes can contribute to biophysical adaptation monitoring and evaluation.
Keywords Behavioral changes • Climate change • Monitoring • Evaluation
14.1 Introduction
Adaptation to climate change refers to adjustments of physical, ecological and
human systems that increase societies’ abilities to cope with the change (see
Box 14.1). This may involve any adjustment to the physical systems, social or
environmental processes, or perceptions of climate risk, practices and functions that
reduce risks and increase exploitation of new (or previously overlooked) opportunities. Agriculture is particularly sensitive, because it will be significantly affected
by climate change through effects on water availability, temperatures, soil processes, pests, pathogens and competitors, which in turn will influence crop productivity at farm level (Turral et al. 2011).
Box 14.1: Adaptation, Adaptive Capacity and Food Security
Adaptation is an adjustment in natural or human systems in response to
actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm
or exploits beneficial opportunities (IPCC 2014b).
Adaptive capacity is the ability of systems, institutions, humans, and other
organisms to adjust to potential damage, to take advantage of opportunities, or to respond to consequences of climate change (IPCC 2014b).
Food security exists when all people at all times have physical or economic
access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs
and food preferences for an active and healthy life (FAO 2008).
At the center of climate change adaptation efforts are interventions intended to
boost adaptive capacity and/or stimulate adaptive action (Pringle 2011). Fortunately, there are several categories of adaptive options in agriculture, including:
technological developments, government programs, insurance, and modifications
of farm production and/or financial management practices (Smit and Skinner 2002).
Nevertheless, to date agricultural adaptation initiatives have mainly focused on
mitigating risks to crop productivity associated with changing climatic conditions.
Furthermore, links between climate change and food productivity have been largely
256
J. Somda et al.