Assessment of Climate Smart Agricultural Strategies for Adaptation to Climate Change (Case Study: Saffron Farmers in Sarayan City)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Associate Professor, Department of Geography, University of Birjand, Department of Research Group of Drought and Climate Change, Birjand, Iran.

Abstract

 
Introduction: In recent years, a decline in saffron yield has been observed in South Khorasan, especially in Sarayan County, due to climate changes such as reduced rainfall, increased temperatures, and weather fluctuations. In this regard, adopting climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices as a new approach in saffron farm management is essential. These practices help increase resilience and adaptability to the impacts of climate change and can lead to improved saffron production under adverse climatic conditions. Agriculture, especially saffron plantations, is exposed to climate change. This is especially serious in the case of Sarayan city, which was one of the main centers of saffron production. Consequently, saffron farmers have faced food insecurity and job loss or change. At the same time, these areas have faced a remarkable decrease in precipitation and exposure to the adverse consequences of global warming. Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices seek to use new methods of saffron management while creating flexibility and adaptability to the effects of climate change and increasing saffron production. This study helps to understand the status of implementation of smart climate on smallholder farmers in the villages of Sarayan city. This study used descriptive statistics to describe the socio-economic characteristics of smallholder farmers and identified the main needs, practices and limitations of climate smart agriculture practices. 
Materials and Methods: Climate-smart agriculture is an approach to identifying production systems that can best respond to the effects of climate change and to adapting these systems to local conditions. This study employs a descriptive-analytical method using questionnaires and targeted sampling in 13 villages that have the highest saffron production. It describes the socio-economic characteristics of smallholder farmers in four villages of Sarayan city and identifies the main needs, methods, and limitations regarding climate-smart agriculture. The results show that the average saffron farmer is 40 years old, has a family size of 5 people, and possesses 21 years of farming experience, cultivating on 1 hectare of land. The majority of saffron growers have accepted at least one feature of climate-smart agriculture in their management practices. The most selected strategies by saffron growers are adaptation, reducing the effects of climate change, and profitability, respectively, as solutions to mitigate saffron product loss during the production season. The most significant tools and variables of the study included focus group discussions, key informant interviews, observations, and quantitative data, which were analyzed using QGIS 3.1 and SPSS 26 software. Surveys were conducted among smallholder farmers in the four districts of Barakuh, Saghaleh, and Mosabbi, which encompass a population of 9938 and 3270 households. Consequently, villages with more than 100 households whose primary livelihood depended on agriculture, especially saffron, were selected. Purposeful sampling was employed to select 22 rural communities. The Cochran formula was used to determine the sample size, and its reliability and validity were confirmed. The Raosoft calculator was utilized to determine the sample size from a population of 9938 farmers. In total, 323 saffron farmers were selected. 
Results and Discussion: Our study shows that the surveyed saffron farmers in Sarayan city have partial awareness of climate-smart agricultural tools and methods and the benefits that should be expected from their use. They have also already adopted some climate-smart agricultural tools and practices, the most important of which has been the use of crop rotation and simultaneous cultivation of two species. Increasing water use efficiency (82%) and increasing farm productivity (81%) were the most important smart approaches. This study aims to provide a better understanding of the needs and motivations of local farming communities and their willingness to participate in climate-smart agriculture to develop and deploy more appropriate plans to improve the resilience and productivity of smallholder farming systems. 
Conclusion: This study reveals that saffron farmers in Sarayan face significant challenges due to climate change but possess only partial awareness of climate-smart agricultural practices. While simple methods like crop rotation and intercropping have been adopted, more advanced solutions such as soil management and genetic improvements encounter barriers, including limited technical knowledge, financial resources, and local support networks. Success in this context requires a combination of specialized training, financial incentives, and infrastructure development. Focusing on young farmers and strengthening local collaborations can enhance resilience and productivity in saffron cultivation. Ultimately, climate-smart agriculture strategies in this region should include improving water management, optimizing soil health, diversifying crops, and strengthening knowledge-sharing systems.

Keywords

References

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