Abstract
The study was conducted mainly to determine the nature of adaptation strategies of the
farmers in a drought-prone area of Rajshahi district. Additionally, the study investigated
the contribution of the extent of adaptation strategies of farmers in the study area. The
locale of the study was a drought-prone area of Tanore upazila under Rajshahi district of
Bangladesh. Data were collected from 200 farmers selected through a proportionate
stratified random sampling technique from four villages namely Talupara and Jumerpara
of Badhair union and Kandopur and Dhebostoly of Kalma union under Tanore upazila
and analyzed with the help of SPSS and BASICA program. Step-wise multiple regression
analysis was employed to ascertain the contribution of selected characteristics of the
farmers to their adaptation strategies in drought prone area. Data used in the research
study were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Questionnaire and
checklists were used in conducting survey; focus group discussion, scored causal
diagrams, case study and key informant's interview were also employed to obtain
necessary information from the study area. The selected 19 characteristics of the farmers
were considered as the independent variables and their adaptation strategies constituted
the dependent variable. In drought- prone areas the farmers practiced various types of
adaptation strategies to minimize drought condition and save their farming. A four-point
rating scale was used to measure the extent of adaptation strategies against the 16
statements. The extent of adaptation strategies of the farmers in drought- prone areas
observed ranged from 20 to 50 against a possible range 16 to 64 with an average of 38.65
and standard deviation 4.391. The highest proportion of the respondents (74.0 percent)
had adapted strategies moderately, 17.0 percent strongly, 7.0 percent slightly and only 2.0
percent did not adapt any planned strategies. Regression analysis indicated that four
characteristics of the farnmers jointly explained 34.1 percent variation of their adaptation
strategies. Out of 19 characteristics four characteristics had significant influence on the
adaptation strategies. The household asset activities alone contribution explaining 25.1
percent of the variation in practices of adaptation strategies in drought period followed
by environmental pollution awareness 3.9 percent, land area affected by drought in the
last year 3.1 percent, agricultural training received 1.9 percent respectively. Path analysis
also indicated that these four characteristics namely; land area affected by drought in the
last year, household asset, agricultural training received and environmental pollution
awareness of the farmers had direct positive and negative effects on practices of
adaptation strategies in drought period. Among the independent variables household
asset had the highest direct positive effects (0.270) in practices of adaptation strategies
and environmental pollution awareness activities had the highest negative effects (-0.206)
in practices of adaptation strategies. The major root causes of low adaptation strategies of
the farmers in drought prone area were lack of rainfall, rising temperature, lack of
moisture, lack of awareness and lack of soil management etc. Hence, provision of
necessary measures by the concerned authority and progressive change in socioeconomic-environmental structure of the society are desirable for improvement of the
farmers' adaptation strategies in drought prone area.