Assessing Awareness Level of Agricultural Extension Agents Regarding Impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture Sector and Coping Strategies

Abstract

This study was aimed at identifying the awareness level of the agricultural extension staff in the Agricultural Extension, Department of Training and its affiliated training centers in Baghdad Governorate, regarding climate change and its effects on the agricultural sector and identifying the mechanisms and procedures adopted by the agricultural extension regarding these risks. These procedures included five topics (administrative and technical, irrigation water, crops, agricultural land, and environment). Researchers included agricultural adviser staff in the Department of Agricultural Extension and its affiliated training centers so that the number of targeted staff was reached (161). The questionnaire used to collect data was adopted, it included two fields, The first included (20) statements to identify the level of awareness of agricultural extension staff for the risks of climate change on the agricultural sector, while the second field included (50) statements representing mechanisms and procedures adopted by agricultural extension in facing these risks. A statistical analysis program (SPSS) was used to process the research data. So this study showed that most agricultural extension staff have a high level of awareness regarding climate change and its impact on the agricultural sector especially in administrative and technical issues related to crops and irrigation water conservation, also there are no joint units and committees for emergency management and risks resulting from the consequences of climate change, lack of cooperation and coordination with local and international efforts in exchanging climate information and significant weakness in the application of laws and legislation that would hold parties that contribute to accountability and deterioration of the agricultural environment. The study recommends activating the role of agricultural extension due to the phenomenon of climate change in the agricultural sector.