Factors Affecting Climate Change Adaptation Ability of Tilapia Cage Culture Aquaculturist in Ubon Ratchathani

Abstract

Ubon Ratchathani is one of tilapia culture provinces and sensitive to climate change both from drought and flood. Studying the factors that influence adaptation to climate change for tilapia cage culture aquaculturists will be play a significant role to appropriately prepare for aquaculturists. Primary data were collected from 200 respondents and analysed using Tobit regression.

The study found that tilapia cage culture aquaculturists revealed a relatively high awareness and understanding towards changes in climate change.  Aquaculturists were more concerned about the increasing rain and drought conditions, which would impact tilapia farming in cages. This resulted in many adaptations, such as in cases of excessive rainfall or flooding, where farmers adjusted by safely relocating the cages and consistent monitoring water quality. In case of drought, they adapted by moving the cages to areas that had high level of water and adjusting the stocking density of fish within the cages. In both cases of flooding or drought, it is observed that tilapia cage aquaculturists engaged in planning other careers to reduce risks. Regarding to the factors influencing the ability to adapt to climate change, it found that during both in rainy season or flooding and hot season or drought, factors that enhanced adaptability included the increasing age of aquaculturists, heightened perception and awareness of climate change, participation in tilapia farming training, increased concerns about changing weather conditions, and the internet access for aquaculture knowledge. Building community factor and contract farming factor only affected to adaptability in drought situation. In contrast, the factors that effected adaptability during both seasons included increasing debt, reliance on tilapia farming as   a primary career.

The recommendations for tilapia cage culture aquaculturists in Ubon Ratchathani area might be to diversify livelihoods to reduce the risk associated with income and they should reduce debts to increase the ability of adaptation. Other cage culture tilapia aquaculturists might promote an increase understanding and awareness of climate change and enhance an access of the internet to increase knowledge for tilapia farming. Moreover, farmers should be supported building community networking to have the potential for adaptability.