Assessment of Resilience of Farm Systems to Climate Change Using the SHARP Scale (A Case of Saffron Growers in Kermanshah Province)

Climate change is one of the most important challenges of mankind. Farm systems in particular are faced with predictable and unpredictable shocks in that their functionality is affected in terms of both quality and quantity. Farm systems capacity for recovery, reorganization, and evolution following external tensions and shocks are discussed within the context of resiliency framework. However, recommendation and evaluation of policy-making solutions in resiliency literature is limited. In other words, most resiliency critics highlight shortcomings of resiliency in terms of conceptualization. Moreover, with correct conceptualization of resiliency policy making and program planning would be facilitated. Therefore, this study sought to investigate resiliency assessment scale titled SHARP (self-evaluation and holistic assessment of climate resilience of farmers and pastoralists), which is developed by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), with the goal of social economic systems (SES) in the context of participatory resilient assessment.

This research is conducted in a mixed manner with a relative qualitative-dominant approach. that was previously used in the context of developing countries. The SHARP assessment tool was pilot tested among 20 saffron growers in Kermanshah Province with quantitative-qualitative dominant in mind. The SHARP assessment tool comprised of 52 statements measuring the resiliency of saffron farmers facing climate shocks. Each saffron grower was evaluated on a 30-point scale including 10 points for academic and 10 points importance and 10 points for applying or taking resiliency measures.

The results of this research will be presented in two sections:SHARP scale localization is carried out within a seven-stage procedure, including: adding and removing questions to/from the original version of the SHARP tool, questionnaire translation, grading, implementation within the software environment, early implementation with 5 farmers, analysis and assessments based upon the early implementation, and the SHARP scale pilot implementation. Experimental implementation of the Iranian SHARP with twenty saffron farmers in Kermanshah state: The sample and the goal of the field work were twenty farmers from the saffron farmers of Kermanshah province. The field experiment was carried out in a two-stage process including: scientific evaluation through the farmers’ self-assessment and conducting group discussions about the results of the first stage results with the farmers to analyzing and discuss their feedbacks. In the twenty analyzed farm systems, the most resiliency against the farm system components included meal sessions (25.5), energy resources (19), tensions (18.9), and livelihood (18.8). Furthermore, the least resiliency if the farm systems corresponded with usage of sales channels without intermediaries and direct sale (10.9), group membership (10.5), and the market (12). The accuracy of aforementioned measures was verified via utilizing the four measures suggested by Gabba et al. (1994); 1) Credibility 2) Confirmability 3) Transferability 4) Dependability

Farmers feedbacks and utilization of the SHARP scale, form the discussions’ core. Saffron farmers’ positive feedback with respect to owning a scale that provides quick results is important, since it provides the possibility of their participation in small groups to discuss their results, make comparisons with each other and identify the farm system’s resiliency. Resiliency assessment of farm systems using the SHARP scale is easy and interesting. This is mostly since it does not require official documentation; therefore, farmers can answer it with simple and rudimentary knowledge of the farm’s daily operation. However, in the fields of market, utilization of channels without intermediaries, and group participation are in the lowest levels of scientific resiliency, and this demonstrates that while saffron farmers of Kermanshah state are resilient against the pressure mounting from the climate change, but they may indirectly feel the climate change’s effects with respect to vulnerabilities in the markets and price volatilities, due to lower support. The SHARP scale is the right answer for resiliency evaluation in saffron farm systems, and with respect to the parameters which yield lower resiliency in the system, it shows that centralization in Iran’s farm system is quite clear, and authority delegation and belief in the “groups” existence will play a significant role in creating resiliency as it generates investment improvement through forming of farmers’ networks and moreover, farmers collaboration in the form of building cooperatives with various functionalities. Also, the negotiation and bargaining power increments with regards to the market price will also be affected by forming market-related cooperatives, and furthermore, capitalist support of small businesses will be facilitated in this structure. Since, the market parameter, has reduced the resiliency; for (resiliency’s) betterment, organization and implementation of farming education programs can be pointed to. Farming education programs can be provided to the farmers in the form of marketing management models, so that, it could help them to become more capable in this regard via better decision-making. The other solution of the policymakers is to put sanctions on beneficiaries who utilize false advertisement for fake marketing. This action can create more transparency and accountability for customers’ purchase options.