FARMERS’ CLIMATE CHANGE AWARENESS AND ADAPTIVE READINESS IN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTIONS, AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATION PATHWAYS

Abstract

The impact of climate change on agricultural productivity and food security is unprecedented in South Asia, especially in the province of Punjab in Pakistan, where climate change is affecting smallholder farmers. This extensive literature review brings together the existing evidence on awareness, readiness of farmers to adapt to climate change, and institutional and digital channels that empower or hinder adaptation in Punjab. Findings indicate that around 71% of the farmers in Punjab are aware of the changes in rainfall and temperature due to climate change, but such awareness does not necessarily imply adaptation action. Awareness must be translated into effective adaptation, which relies on several interdependent factors: socioeconomic factors (education, farming experience, credit access), institutional support systems (climate risk management trainings and digital agriculture extension services), and digital communication infrastructure (mobile phones, Internet-based advisory services). Gender differences can markedly influence technology adoption and access to information, with women having more barriers to the use of mobile extension services. Limited digital literacy, lack of extension infrastructure, and a significant digital divide in rural areas are some of the barriers to adaptation. The review points to an integrated policy approach for knowledge enhancement, institutional capacity building, gender-inclusive communication channels, and strategic investments in digital infrastructure as crucial to support climate-resilient agricultural systems. This approach includes farmer-centered indigenous knowledge and experience, context-specific extension approaches, and climate risk management trainings and personalized climate digital advisory services, providing avenues for sustainable adaptation. The findings highlight the need for a multi-sectoral approach to information access, institutional arrangements, technology adoption, and equity concerns to support effective climate change adaptation in Punjab, and that farmer voices and their experiences must be at the heart of the design and implementation of sustainable agricultural futures.