Abstract: In the face of escalating climate change impacts on agriculture, understanding the mechanisms by which farmers adapt and mitigate becomes imperative. This study investigates the role of farmer social networks in shaping adaptive capacities and resilience within agricultural communities. Employing a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and network analyses, we examine how information flows, resource sharing, and collective action dynamics within social networks influence farmers' responses to climate variability and change. Drawing on data from diverse agricultural settings, our findings shed light on the nuanced interplay between social networks and climate adaptation strategies. By elucidating the pathways through which social networks facilitate or constrain adaptive behaviors, this research offers valuable insights for enhancing the effectiveness of climate change interventions and fostering sustainable agricultural development. The research findings indicate that a minority of respondents, specifically 23% and 11%, lack access to financial services and climate adaptation knowledge, respectively. Assistance to farmers primarily encompasses dissemination of marketing information and provision of farm equipment by community-based organizations, whereas private institutions supply weather forecasting services. Public institutions exhibit limited presence in the network analysis. Additionally, extension services emerge as pivotal entities in the climate adaptation network, whereas agricultural credits, post-harvest services, and produce marketing dominate but exhibit weak interconnections in the financial support network. Moreover, the study reveals that as farm-level service provision increases, farmers not only enhance their adaptation efforts but also transition from low-cost and short-term measures to more advanced strategies. To enhance stakeholder networking and bolster adaptation to climate change, this study advocates for an integrated framework that fosters partnerships across various sectors.
Keywords: Farmers social networking, agricultural policy, climate change mitigation.