Collaboration Relations in Climate Information Production and Dissemination to Subsistence Farmers in Namibia

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Climate Science
• Social Science

Background:

• Climate information is crucial for farmers' adaptation to climate change.
• Effective accessibility and adoption by subsistence farmers depend on collaboration between farmers and information providers.
• This study focuses on the Namibian agricultural sector.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine collaborations in climate information production and dissemination.
• To investigate the integration of subsistence farmers in these collaborations.
• To assess the impact of collaboration on information nature and accessibility.

Main Methods:

• Key informant interviews and questionnaire surveys were employed for data collection.
• Network analysis was used to estimate network density, clustering coefficient, and degree centrality.
• Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to understand actor interactions.

Main Results:

• High clustering coefficients (78% production, 77% dissemination) indicate strong collaboration among actors.
• Interaction frequency between information providers and subsistence farmers is very low (annual meetings).
• Poor interaction leads to limited feedback learning and suboptimal information dissemination.

Conclusions:

• Despite high actor collaboration, subsistence farmers are poorly integrated, limiting information effectiveness.
• Innovative communication channels (mobile phones, peer-to-peer learning) are recommended.
• Flexible collaboration with enhanced user feedback is essential for robust climate information and adaptive actions.