Risk Communication for Farmers’ Adaptation to Climate Change: A New Task for Agricultural Advisory Services

Decision making in agricultural production is a complex process in which many risks such as natural, economic and social ones need to be considered. Climate change is one important example for complex risks causing ambiguities. How can farmers be supported to pro-actively deal with and adapt to climate change? A comprehensive answer to this question can create a good potential for an improved risk communication and governance within agricultural sector. The aim of this paper is to conceptually argue farmers’ risk perceptions, roles and tasks that intervention agents such as agricultural advisory services may adopt in order to support farmers’ risk management and adaptation to climate change. Two specific approaches namely ‘risk communication’ and ‘social learning’ in the frame of risk governance were discussed followed by conclusions drawn on cross-cutting insights and deficits in research and practice.