Determinants of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Among Beef Cattle Farmers in East Java, Indonesia

¹ Socio-Economics, Animal Science Faculty, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia
² Socio-Economics, Agriculture Faculty, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia
³ Animal-Production, Animal Science Faculty, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia
⁴ Animal-Nutrition, Animal Science Faculty, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Climate change poses a serious challenge to the livestock sector in Indonesia, particularly for beef cattle farmers in East Java who face declining productivity due to droughts, shifting rainfall patterns, and rising temperatures. Adaptation is therefore essential to sustain livestock production and maintain household economic stability. This study analyses the socioeconomic factors influencing the choice of adaptation strategies among beef cattle farmers in response to climate change. A total of 300 farmers were selected using a multistage sampling technique, and data were collected through structured interviews. The analysis employed a Multinomial Logit Model to examine the effects of socioeconomic characteristics on the choice between on-farm, off-farm, and combined strategies. The results show that 63 % of farmers adopted off-farm strategies such as enterprise diversification and secondary employment, while 11 % focused on on-farm strategies, and 26 % combined both approaches. Education, primary occupation, and access to agricultural residues significantly influenced the choice of adaptation strategy. Higher education and better access to agricultural residues increased the likelihood of adopting off-farm strategies, whereas having livestock farming as the primary occupation reduced the tendency toward diversification. These findings highlight the importance of human, natural, and financial capital in shaping farmers' adaptive capacity. Strengthening farmers' skills and optimizing local resource utilization are key to promoting sustainable and inclusive adaptation in the livestock sector.