Communication Platforms and Climate Change Adaptation of Rice Farmers in Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines

Abstract

Communication plays a fundamental role in sharing information on climate change and organizing and sustaining initiatives on climate change adaptation. In the area of agricultural development, it is essential to determine the community communication platforms the rice farmers utilize and the problems they encounter to conceptualize adaptive measures to climate change. This study aims to determine the rice farmers’ profiles, the communication platforms they utilize and their adaptation practices and their comparison, and the inputs that can help promote better adaptation to climate change. The descriptive research design and quantitative approach were employed. The data were gathered through a survey questionnaire among 50 rice farmers. They were chosen through random sampling from the list of members provided by the City Agriculture Office. Percentage, weighted mean, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and F-test were the statistical tools used in treating the data. The study showed that the majority of the rice farmers are in the middle and late stages of adulthood, are married, have low educational attainment, do not have other sources of income, have been in the rice production for about 6–15 years, and cultivate small hectares of land. Furthermore, they utilize interpersonal and small group communication, and mass media in sharing information on climate change. Most of them agreed that their physical adaptive measures, existing agricultural practices, self-help programs, and capacity building help them adapt to climate change. It was disclosed that the farmers’ profiles do not vary with their physical adaptive measures, self-help programs, and capacity building. However, their other sources of income and number of years in rice farming vary with their existing agricultural practices in adapting to climate change.