Smallholder farmers’ intention to use climate forecast services in the Benin Republic, West Africa

Abstract

ABSTRACT Agriculture is the sector most vulnerable to climate risks, particularly in countries where 95% are rainfed. Adaptive strategies are crucial to improve agricultural productivity and secure farmers’ livelihoods. The availability of and access to climate information reinforce the classical adaptive measures adopted by farmers and provide them with opportunities to make informed decisions. This study used an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour to analyze the behavioural determinants of farmers’ intention to use climate information in decision-making. Therefore, data from 714 farmers in Benin were collected using multistage sampling technique. Data were analyzed by employing the PLS method. The results proved the positive influence of Attitude, Subjective Norms and Perceived Control Behaviour respectively on the Intention to use climate forecasts in decision-making in farming. It should however be noted that the impact of Subjective Norms proved to be insignificant. The results also show that it is important to improve farmers beliefs as to the added value of using climate forecasts in their adaptation strategies. This study, therefore, provides a view of the importance of psychological factors in the use of agricultural climate forecasts in developing countries. The findings of this study are relevant for devising adaptive strategies in the agricultural sector.