Climate change and climate variability lead to increased risks for agricultural production. These risks are less pronounced in highly mechanized systems based on external inputs. Chemical plant protection, synthetic fertilizers, etc. make European farming less dependent on stochastic effects such as climatic variability. However, many R&D efforts, research proposals, technological innovations, etc. seem to claim that they offer adaptive responses to climate change. Now, my question is whether there are any insights into European farmers' perceptions of climate change risks. Farmers are the agents undertaking adaptive responses. Hence, if they don't consider these risks as relevant to their farm business, they will most likely not adopt any adaptation measures or new technology.
Farmers not only take into account the risks of climate change, but they are quite receptive to adopt mitigation and adaptation to climate change, provided, of course, that such measures are not put at risk agricultural production. In this, the local and regional administration and especially technicians agricultural cooperatives have an important role because it is not to impose measures, but convince them of the need to adopt them.
In 2012 a Climate Change Risk Assessment was carried out for the UK as part of this a risk assessment of the UK's agriculture was carried out see: http://www.climatenorthernireland.org.uk/cmsfiles/resources/files/CCRA_for-the-Agriculture-Sector.pdf
However, this doesn't quite answer your question. In my albeit limited experience British farmers are often very receptive with regards to adopting new technology but it is not because they are responding to the risk posed by climate change. Work carried out by the Global Sustainability Institute (see: http://www.anglia.ac.uk/~/media/Files/global-sustainability-institute/gsi-briefing-note-1-farmers-perceptions-of-climate-change.pdf?la=en) found that British farmers thought that "the impacts of climate change are not seen as a pressing threat, nor are extreme weather events regular enough for the majority of farmers to invest time and resources into taking immediate action. Farmers are working to prevent the impacts of short-term impacts and maximise opportunities rather than mitigate long-term risks".
This report is interesting see: http://www.promar-international.com/_userfiles/publications/files/UK%20Agriculture%20and%20Farmer%20Attitudes%20to%20Climate%20Change.pdf
This paper may also be of interest see: http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/90045/1/HylandFarmerTypes.pdf
I do understand that the impacts of climate change imply different risks to different groups and communities, even European farmers. Hence any support to address these risks, must be able to respond to very different needs. These can include, in my viewpoint, understanding and addressing loss and damage, strengthening data collection and improving climate‐related research and systematic observation, impact, mitigation and adaptation assessments; disaster risk reduction and management strategies, as well as cooperation with regard to climate change mitigation strategies.
Climate change induced production risk will be felt everywhere, which will give more pressure on the farmers all around the world
studies reports that Climate change will probably increase the risk of food insecurity for some vulnerable groups, such as the poor. For example, South America may lose 1–21% of its arable land area, Africa 1–18%, Europe 11–17%, and India 20–40%
http://thecorporatefarmer.com/climate-change-impacts-on-agriculture/
Thank you, Darren, for sharing these links. The material is extremely helpful.
Best regards!