WellAdapt: Mental well-being and adaptation decisions of Mexican farmers following extreme weather events

Background

The agricultural sector faces significant disruptions due to climate change, extreme weather events posing substantial and growing challenges. Particularly affected are farmers, especially those in disadvantaged communities who are confronted not only with impacts on their livelihood but also their mental well-being. Such changes can influence their adaptive decisions, vital for resilience in an era of escalating climate-related threats. Guided by Prof. Dr Ann-Kathrin Koessler, a team within the Institute of Environmental Planning's (IUP) "Environmental Behaviour and Planning" working group will delve into these intricate interconnections using a mixed-methods approach.

Collaboration

Our project draws strength from a dynamic interdisciplinary collaboration with the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and their School of Psychology. This international effort combines cognitive sciences, environmental planning and psychology to provide a holistic perspective on the implications of climate change on mental health as well as its subsequent impact on adaptation behaviours of farmers.

Research Objectives

This project, which begins on 1st August 2024 and concludes on 31st July 2027, aims to:

Objective 1: Examine the cause-effect relationship between extreme weather events (EWE) and their subsequent impact on a farmer's mental well-being, and how this in turn shapes their adaptation decisions. An essential component of this aim is to clarify what constitutes 'relevant adaptation decisions' under these evolving environmental circumstances.

Objective 2: Identify and test potential strategies to alleviate the adverse effects on mental well-being following EWEs, thereby enhancing farmers' capacity to make effective adaptation decisions.

Working Group’s Role

The "Environmental Behaviour and Planning" working group at IUP, in collaboration with UNAM and their School of Psychology, will take the lead on this project.

Significance

The findings of our project will become useful for policy makers, enabling them to design protective measures for economically vulnerable communities, such as farmers who are disproportionately impacted by extreme weather events linked to climate change. Utilising our research findings, we aim to create supportive interventions for disadvantaged communities, encouraging resilience and informed adaptation decision-making.

Working group

https://www.umwelt.uni-hannover.de/en/working-groups/environmental-behavior-and-planning