Perceived Costs-Benefits, and Barriers of Climate Adaptation among Smallholder Farmers in the Barind Tract, Bangladesh

Climate change adaptation refers to the process by which farmers adjust their agricultural practices to reduce climate-related risks and enhance resilience. In the Barind Tract, several studies have explored climate change adaptation and barriers. However, most of these studies focused on general adaptation strategies or structural/economic barriers and did not examine perceived costs-benefits of adaptation and how these perceptions interact with barriers when deciding whether to adopt specific practices. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates the most commonly adopted adaptation strategies and analyzes farmers’ evaluations of the associated costs-benefits alongside the barriers that hinder effective adaptation. Data were collected from 180 smallholder farmers across three upazilas using a multi-stage equal allocation sampling approach. A structured questionnaire captured socio-economic characteristics, adaptation strategies, perceived costs-benefits, and barriers. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, Relative Importance Index (RII), and Weighted Average Index (WAI) were used for the analysis. The results show that irrigation (RII = 0.9593), tractor tillage (0.9389), row planting (0.8556), and improved seed varieties (0.8407) were the most widely adopted practices. Initial and ongoing costs were mainly within Tk 5001–10000 and Tk 2500–5000, and 74 percent of farmers reported that the benefits of adaptation outweighed the costs. The major barriers included resource scarcity (WAI = 4.35), limited availability of technology (4.29), and financial constraints (4.01). The study provides new empirical evidence on how perceived costs-benefits and barriers jointly shape adaptation decisions among smallholder farmers. Strengthening access to loans, agricultural inputs, technology, training, and rural infrastructure is essential for building climate resilience and promoting sustainable agriculture in the Barind Tract.