Can Agricultural Extension Enhance the Climate Resilience of Smallholder Farmers?
Can Agricultural Extension Enhance the Climate Resilience of Smallholder Farmers?
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OPINION ───────────────────── Can Agricultural Extension Enhance the Climate Resilience of Smallholder Farmers? Evidence from West Java, Indonesia Dr. Rafnel Azhari |
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Climate change is no longer a distant threat for agriculture, it is a present reality, particularly for smallholder farmers who depend heavily on natural conditions. In West Java, regions such as Karawang and Subang, which are key rice-producing areas, have increasingly faced climate-related risks like flooding and drought. These challenges threaten not only food production but also the livelihoods and well-being of rural communities. Our recent study explores how agricultural extension and different forms of livelihood capital contribute to the climate resilience of smallholder rice farmers in West Java. We found that resilience is shaped by multiple factors, including government policy, human capital, physical capital, social capital, and pluralistic extension services.
The results show that human capital (p < 0.001) and social capital (p = 0.077) significantly contribute to farmers’ resilience. Physical capital also plays an important role in supporting the sustainability of farming businesses (p = 0.066) and is positively associated with resilience capacity (p < 0.011). Interestingly, government agricultural extension services alone did not have a significant influence (p < 0.070), suggesting that a more inclusive and pluralistic approach is needed. |
Key Lessons
These findings highlight an important lesson: farmers need more than technical information. They need access to education, strong social networks, adequate infrastructure, and supportive government policies. Agricultural extension should therefore be delivered through a combination of public, private, and community-based services that work together to strengthen farmers’ adaptive capacity and long-term transformation.
Looking Ahead
Building climate resilience among smallholder farmers requires collective action. Government institutions, researchers, extension providers, and local communities must collaborate to create a supportive environment where farmers can adapt to changing conditions and thrive sustainably.
Strengthening rice farmers’ resilience is essential not only for securing food production in West Java, but also for ensuring the sustainability of our agri-food systems in the face of climate change.
Reference
Azhari, R., Amanah, S., Fatchiya, A., & Kinseng, R. A. (2025).
Can Agricultural Extension Enhance the Climate Resilience of Smallholder Farmers? Evidence from West Java, Indonesia.
BIO Web of Conferences, 171, 04001.
