Factors Affecting Citrus Farmers' Knowledge of Climate Change and Its Effects on Citrus Trees in Qalyubia Governorate

A. M., Samia; I. H., Sarah; A. A., Mohamed; Mohamed Rashad, Eman Saied

doi:10.21608/esm.2024.395100

Factors Affecting Citrus Farmers' Knowledge of Climate Change and Its Effects on Citrus Trees in Qalyubia Governorate

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Rural Community and Agricultural Extension – Faculty of Agriculture - Ain Shams University.

² Department of Agricultural Economics Directed Agricultural Extension – Faculty of Agriculture - Benha University.

10.21608/esm.2024.395100

Abstract

The research mainly aims to determine the total level of knowledge of citrus farmers about climate change, sources of knowledge and their effects on citrus fruits and the relationship of this level to some independent variables studied, as well as determining the contribution ratios of some independent variables with a significant relationship in explaining the total variation of citrus farmers' knowledge of climate changes, sources of knowledge and effects, in addition to identifying the most important information needed by a farmer citrus fruits to reduce the impact of climate change, and their most preferred sources of obtaining that information.
To achieve the objectives of this research, data were collected from a random sample of 308 farmers using a questionnaire form in the personal interview that was initially pre-tested during July 2023.
To analyze the research data statistically, simple correlation coefficient, stepwise regression analysis, percentages, arithmetic mean, range and standard deviation were used.
The most important results were summarized as follows:

There is a relative decline in farmers' knowledge of the effects of various climate changes that have occurred and been witnessed.
There is a diversity and multiplicity of extension sources from which the surveyed farmers derive their knowledge about climate changes affecting citrus production. They rely heavily on local sources when compared to government guidance sources.
There is a multiplicity of effects on citrus fruits amounting to fifty-five effects resulting from physiological, fungal and insect diseases, in addition to the multiplicity of the form of effect, most of which was negative.
The research found a correlation and significant between the degree of total knowledge of citrus farmers of climate change and nine variables of the independent variables studied included in the analysis. It was also found that there are eight variables that explain about 64.5 of the total variation in the total knowledge of citrus farmers in Qalyubia.
The vast majority of respondents believe that the information they need in the face of climate change is related to pesticides and fertilizers developed to combat diseases, and that the most important sources of their preferred access to this information are pesticide dealers and specialists from university professors and research centers.

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