Climate Change and Crop Production in The Gambia: Farmers’ Perceptions, Agricultural Practices, and Adaptation Strategies
Abstract
Background Climate change threatens crop production, food security, and rural livelihoods, particularly where smallholder farmers depend on rain-fed agriculture. The Gambia is exposed to rising temperatures, rainfall variability, droughts, floods, land degradation, and coastal hazards. This study assessed crop farmers' perceptions of climate change, their agricultural practices and adaptation strategies, and the factors associated with the adoption of coping practices. Methods A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among 662 crop farmers in the North Bank, Lower River, Central River, and Upper River Regions of The Gambia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire programmed in KoboToolbox and analysed in IBM SPSS Statistics version 23. Frequencies and percentages were used to summarise the data. The association between perception of climate change and adoption of coping practices was examined using Fisher's exact test and the Pearson chi-square test, with Cramér's V as the effect size. A multivariable binary logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with adoption, reported as adjusted odds ratios (AORs). Results Most respondents had observed changes in the local climate over the previous five years (95.3%). The most commonly perceived changes were increased temperature (78.3%), decreased rainfall duration (56.7%), and fewer rainfall events (41.7%). The most commonly perceived impacts were a reduced growing season (55.4%), changes in the timing of rains (54.9%), and pest invasion (35.7%). Groundnuts (67.5%) and cereals (64.0%) were the crops most frequently cultivated. Nearly half of the respondents adopted at least one adaptation strategy (49.0%), of which planting different crop varieties was the most common (70.3%). Adoption was higher among respondents who perceived climate change (50.2%) than among those who did not (25.8%); this association was statistically significant (Fisher's exact test, p = .009) but weak (Cramér's V = .103). In the multivariable analysis (χ2(14) = 46.77, p < .001; Nagelkerke R2 = .091), observation of climate change (AOR = 3.12, p = .012), higher educational level (vocational, AOR = 7.50, p = .003; tertiary, AOR = 2.38, p = .032), and dual household–commercial production (AOR = 1.72, p = .001) were independently associated with adoption, whereas gender, marital status, and age were not. Conclusions Crop farmers widely perceived climate change and reported effects on crop production, yet many were unfamiliar with climate-smart practices and had not adopted adaptation measures. Although awareness was independently associated with adoption, its modest explanatory power indicates that awareness alone is insufficient. Strengthening extension services, climate-information delivery, education and skills training, access to improved seed, and affordable water management may support adaptation, provided that financial and institutional barriers are also addressed.
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BibTeX
@misc{ceesay2026climate,
title = {{Climate Change and Crop Production in The Gambia: Farmers’ Perceptions, Agricultural Practices, and Adaptation Strategies}},
author = {Sheriff Ceesay and Modou Badjan and Modou S Gaye and Lamin Darboe and Sambou LS Kinteh and Momodou Alieu Jallow and Mansour Badjie and Yunusa Jallow and Sambou Mbye and Ida K Touray and Ebrima Y Bojang and Mansata Bah and Seray Sidibeh and Ebrima Jallow and Aboubacarr Jallow},
howpublished = {EarthArXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.31223/x5k21r},
url = {https://eartharxiv.org/repository/view/14924/},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Climate Change and Crop Production in The Gambia: Farmers’ Perceptions, Agricultural Practices, and Adaptation Strategies
AU - Sheriff Ceesay
AU - Modou Badjan
AU - Modou S Gaye
AU - Lamin Darboe
AU - Sambou LS Kinteh
AU - Momodou Alieu Jallow
AU - Mansour Badjie
AU - Yunusa Jallow
AU - Sambou Mbye
AU - Ida K Touray
AU - Ebrima Y Bojang
AU - Mansata Bah
AU - Seray Sidibeh
AU - Ebrima Jallow
AU - Aboubacarr Jallow
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/10
PB - EarthArXiv
DO - 10.31223/x5k21r
UR - https://eartharxiv.org/repository/view/14924/
AB - Background Climate change threatens crop production, food security, and rural livelihoods, particularly where smallholder farmers depend on rain-fed agriculture. The Gambia is exposed to rising temperatures, rainfall variability, droughts, floods, land degradation, and coastal hazards. This study assessed crop farmers' perceptions of climate change, their agricultural practices and adaptation strategies, and the factors associated with the adoption of coping practices. Methods A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among 662 crop farmers in the North Bank, Lower River, Central River, and Upper River Regions of The Gambia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire programmed in KoboToolbox and analysed in IBM SPSS Statistics version 23. Frequencies and percentages were used to summarise the data. The association between perception of climate change and adoption of coping practices was examined using Fisher's exact test and the Pearson chi-square test, with Cramér's V as the effect size. A multivariable binary logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with adoption, reported as adjusted odds ratios (AORs). Results Most respondents had observed changes in the local climate over the previous five years (95.3%). The most commonly perceived changes were increased temperature (78.3%), decreased rainfall duration (56.7%), and fewer rainfall events (41.7%). The most commonly perceived impacts were a reduced growing season (55.4%), changes in the timing of rains (54.9%), and pest invasion (35.7%). Groundnuts (67.5%) and cereals (64.0%) were the crops most frequently cultivated. Nearly half of the respondents adopted at least one adaptation strategy (49.0%), of which planting different crop varieties was the most common (70.3%). Adoption was higher among respondents who perceived climate change (50.2%) than among those who did not (25.8%); this association was statistically significant (Fisher's exact test, p = .009) but weak (Cramér's V = .103). In the multivariable analysis (χ2(14) = 46.77, p < .001; Nagelkerke R2 = .091), observation of climate change (AOR = 3.12, p = .012), higher educational level (vocational, AOR = 7.50, p = .003; tertiary, AOR = 2.38, p = .032), and dual household–commercial production (AOR = 1.72, p = .001) were independently associated with adoption, whereas gender, marital status, and age were not. Conclusions Crop farmers widely perceived climate change and reported effects on crop production, yet many were unfamiliar with climate-smart practices and had not adopted adaptation measures. Although awareness was independently associated with adoption, its modest explanatory power indicates that awareness alone is insufficient. Strengthening extension services, climate-information delivery, education and skills training, access to improved seed, and affordable water management may support adaptation, provided that financial and institutional barriers are also addressed.
ER -