Farmer Adoption of Climate-Smart Practices Is Driven by Farm Characteristics, Information Sources, and Practice Benefits and Challenges

Agriculture plays an important role in mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Yet, advances climate-smart agriculture require a better understanding of farmer adoption. This exploratory paper uncovered differences that distinguish High, Moderate, Low adopters practices. Our study utilized 952 in-person surveys California farmers with focus on practices, along farm characteristics, information sources, practice benefits challenges. Specifically, larger parcels were more likely be High adopters, access only one water source adopters. There was no significant difference found between Moderate adopters’ use any sources. The ranking different sources changed groups. Furthermore, there the rate consideration benefits. All groups identified uncertainty as greatest challenge, results demonstrate where occur adopter by extension provide insights into target outreach efforts promote adoption practices agriculture.