Factors Influencing Climate Information Access of the Farmers in Hiran Region, Somalia

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INTRODUCTION
The global climatic mean or variance has increased significantly, and further increases are still possible (IPCC, 2007).The majority of specialists anticipated a 2-4 °C increase in global temperatures, and maybe considerably more (Meinshausen, Meinshausen, Hare, Raper, Frieler, Knutti, Frame, & Allen, 2009).In addition, Nicholls & Cazenave (2010) forecasted a 0.5-1 m rise in sea level.Since 1960, Southeast Asia's average temperature has increased every ten years (Amit, 2018).Ten nations that suffered badly from climate change in the previous 20 years, such as Vietnam and Thailand (Eckstein, Winges, Künzel, & Schäfer, 2018).Africa is among the top regions that climate change could adversely impact due to rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall (IPCC, 2014).Africa's temperature will rise more quickly than anywhere else in the world by the end of the current century, reaching 4 °C (Niang, Ruppel, Abdrabo, Essel, Lennard, Padgham, & Urquhart, 2014).
Because agriculture-which is reliant on rain-makes up 30% of the GDP of almost all African nations and employs 70% of the workforce, it is essential to the continent's ability to sustain food security, a robust economy, and poverty reduction (Asafu-Adjaye, 2014).Numerous nations have already experienced detrimental effects from climate change in several economic areas, most notably agriculture (Ahsan, Chandio, & Fang, 2020).Additionally, it is anticipated that global temperatures and precipitation patterns may change the areas that are used for agricultural production (Ramirez-Villegas & Thornton, 2015).Like other parts of the world, Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be one of the places most severely susceptible to the negative effects of climate change (Esham & Garforth, 2013).Their poverty and lack of flexibility are the main causes of such susceptibility (Bagamba, Bashaasha, Claessens, & Antle, 2012).About 75% of Somalia's GDP and 93% of all export earnings, respectively, come from the country's agricultural sector (FAO & World Bank, 2018).However, several obstacles, such as those related to politics, the economy, and the environment, prevent the growth of a prosperous agriculture industry (Warsame, Sheik-Ali, Ali, & Sarkodie, 2021).Furthermore, Somalia, one of the nations most susceptible to climate change worldwide, faces numerous challenges related to the environment, most notably climate change (Carty, 2017).Furthermore, as per the Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Bank (2018) temperature variations caused by climate change, in conjunction with patterns of precipitation, exacerbate the nation's precarious state, given its precarious economic, social, and environmental conditions.
The National Adaptation Action Programs of Somalia have determined that the country's main climate threats are strong winds, rising temperatures, substantial flooding, and drought, based on in-depth conversations with communities all around the country (FGS, 2013).According to the Food and Agricultural Organization and World Bank (2018) report, the 2017 drought cost Somalia $72 million in lost revenue from its four main crops: sesame ($28 million), cowpeas ($9 million), corn, and sorghum ($35 million).Another sort of climate change phenomenon that lowers agricultural output, destroys property, uproots communities, and occasionally results in the death of vulnerable individuals is flooding.This is frequently caused by downpours that, during rainy seasons, overwhelm pre-existing rivers (Warsame, Sheik-Ali, Ali, & Sarkodie, 2021).In 2019, floods in Somalia resulted in considerable crop loss, multiple fatalities, and 412,000 displaced people (GIEWS, 2020).High winds also damage soil fertility in Somalia, which has an impact on agricultural productivity (Waaben, Habimana, Joshi, & Mumuli, 2020).The laws and policies in Somalia that attempt to lessen the adverse consequences of the climate crisis on agriculture are insufficient (Warsame, Sheik-Ali, Ali, & Sarkodie, 2021).This may be due to both poor governance mechanisms and a dearth of comprehensive empirical research examining the relationship between agriculture and climate change (FAO & World Bank, 2018).

Problem Statement
The agricultural sector is the lifeline of Somalia's economy and food security.It not only provides the necessary food for a great number of Somalis but also provides income via the sale of crops and the generation of employment.However, as a low-income and post-conflict nation, the country has been experiencing constant natural disasters and the destruction of natural resources, thus contributing to the reduction of crop productivity (Jama, Liu, Diriye, Yousaf, Basiru, & Abdi, 2020).By utilizing meteorological and climate data, farmers can lessen the adverse consequences of climate disasters on agricultural output (Domingo, Agbon, Olaguera, Umlas, Mae, Zuluaga, & Reyes, 2020).However, a lack of relevant information has made it more difficult for farmers to enhance agricultural production (Mwalukasa, 2013).Enhancing farmers' access to appropriate climate information services will help them meet their information needs and grow more crops (Mtega, 2012).To improve climate resilience, this study set out to assess farmers in the Hiran region's access to climate information and the sources of this information.The study also examined factors influencing the farmer's access to climate information in the region.

Objectives of the Study
This study investigated factors that influence smallholder farmers' access to climate information in the Hiran region of Somalia.To achieve this purpose, the following specific objectives were developed.1.To examine farmers' access to climate information in the Hiran region, Somalia.2. To investigate farmers' sources of climate information in the Hiran region, Somalia 3. To analyze the factors that determine climate information access of the farmers.

Review of Literature on Farmer's Access to Climate Information and Sources
Climate data is significant in terms of agricultural decision-making and adaptation and enhances agricultural outputs, resource utilization, and knowledge (Muema, Mburu, Coulibaly, & Mutune, 2018).Additionally, climate information sources are also contributing to farmers utilizing new information to tackle climate crises in a sustainable way (Evaristo & Emmanuel, 2020).Chukwuji, Nwabueze, Aliyu, Sayudi, Yusuf, and Zakariya (2019) in Zamfara State, Nigeria, found that practically all farmers have access to climatic information.The most prevalent are anticipating animal illnesses, mitigation, aquaculture, improved variety of crops, erratic precipitation, flooding, and rainfall projections, and farming of short-and long-term crop types.Furthermore, Popoola, Yusuf, and Monde (2020) also reported in their research that farmers in the Amathole District of South Africa received climate information.However, Muema, Mburu, Coulibaly, and Mutune (2018) stated that although a large number of farmers in Makueni County, Kenya, received seasonal climate information services (CIS), the number of these farmers that utilized climate data to tickle climate disasters was less than 50 percent.

Research done by
In terms of climate information channels, different sources of climate information were identified in different countries, such as newspapers, radio, neighbors, an extension agent, friends, other farmers, their own experiences at informal gatherings, and print media, as reported by Asadu, Ozioko, and Dimelu (2018), Evaristo and Emmanuel (2020), and Popoola, Yusuf, and Monde (2020).
Several studies have indicated that the socio-economic, demographic, and institutional features of farmers determine whether farmers access climate information or not.For instance, as reported by Muema, Mburu, Coulibaly, and Mutune (2018), as farmers get older, the likelihood of accessing climate information goes down, while an increased number of families and their income promote climate information uptake.In addition, education level leads to greater accessibility to climate information: it allows farmers to predict and schedule effective adaptation (Cheriotic, Saidu, & Bebe, 2012).Other socioeconomic, demographic, and institutional factors that contribute to climate information access include social and economic status, occupation, group memberships, culture, and communication resource access, as reported by Mtega (2012), Elia (2013)  As demonstrated in Figure 1, several kinds of factors may influence the access to climate information by farmers.These factors include demographic, socioeconomic, and institutional characteristics of the farmers, such as age, gender, marital status, experience, farm income, non-form income, farming system, accessibility of agricultural facilities, access to affordable loans, and proximity to markets.Farmers' access to well-timed and appropriate climate information will lead to an increase in their adaptive capacity for climate crisis consequences.Due to increased adaptive capacity, agricultural production increases.

Increases Adaptive capacity
Increases crop productivity researchers focused on specific farm-level targets at specific locations and production systems.
Additionally, these studies provided limited information about some important climate information, such as the seasonal forecast, which provides estimates of rainfall and temperature in the upcoming two or three months.On the other hand, there is no empirical evidence regarding the access to climate information by the farmers in the study area.Other literature provided inadequate evidence and general information in other countries, yet climate information differs contextually and geographically (across communities and perhaps among individuals).Therefore, there exists a knowledge gap regarding farmers' climate information access and the factors influencing this climate information in Somalia, particularly in the Hiran region, which has been facing constant floods and droughts, which needs to be addressed to increase farmers' ability to adjust to climate change effects and hence increase their productivity and likelihood.

METHODOLOGY Description of the Study Area
With 520,685 residents, Hiran is a region with administrative authority in central Somalia (UNFPA, 2014).Ethiopia borders Hiran on the northwest, the Somali areas of Galgaduud border it on the northeast, the middle Shabelle borders it on the south, the lower Shabelle borders it on the southwest, and Bay and Bakool border it on the west (Figure 1).Rainfall in Somalia is often low and irregular.On average, the country receives 250 mm of rain annually.
Less than 250 millimeters of rainfall on average each year in the extremely arid and hot northern maritime lowlands, while 400 millimeters fall in the south (such as the Hiran region) and 700 millimeters fall in the southwest (Venema & Vargas, 2007).

Research Design and Target Population
To provide a complete and accurate picture of the topic at hand, this study used a descriptive survey approach.To fully comprehend the problem under investigation, this method entails the gathering and analysis of information.The study's main focus was on the several elements that affect farmers in Somalia's Hiran region's access to climate information.The study's target population was smallholder farmers in six villages in the Hiran region of Somalia.Due to budgetary constraints and security concerns, smallholder farmers from six villages in the Baladweyne and Buloburte districts of the Hiran region of Somalia, which are projected to have 1000 households, were chosen.

Sample Size and Sampling Procedure
The Yamane formula was utilized to determine the sample size (Yamane, 1967).
(Equation 1) Where; n is the sample size, N = the target population, and e = alpha Both purposive and random sampling techniques were used in this investigation.Six (6) villages, three from each district, were purposively chosen because of their riverfront location and history of exposure to severe weather conditions, including floods and droughts (Table 1).
Each target village's sample size was determined per its population size.Lastly, the 222-person target sample was formed by randomly selecting houses from each of the villages that had been carefully selected (Table 1).

Data Collection Instruments
A questionnaire was used in the collection of the primary data.Meeting with respondents in person during the survey allows researchers to explain the purpose of the study and assist them in completing the questionnaires.

Data Analysis
After being coded, the data were imported into SPSS version 26 and then moved to STATA version 14.1 for examination.To support the conclusions of econometric approaches, descriptive statistical tools including frequency, percentages, means, tables, and figures were used.In the Somali region of Hiiran, the binary logistic regression method was applied to identify the contributing elements influencing farmers' access to climatic information (Table 2).
The model is: Where: Pi represents the dependent variables (The climate information access of the farmers).β0 is the intercept; β1, β2, ... βk are parameter estimates; X1, X2, ... Xk, represent independent variables (in this case, the socio-economic and institutional traits of farmers) and the e error term.

Socio-economics and Institutional Characteristics of the Farmers in Hiran Region, Somalia
According to the data, 83% of farmers were men, and only 17% were women.In addition, 80% of the farmers were married, and 20% were single.The result also revealed that (29%) of the farmers have formal education, while 71% have non-formal education.The average number of family members found in this study was 6, with the smallest family having 2 members and the largest having 12.The average age of the participants in this study was 39 years, with the youngest participant being 20 years old and the oldest being 65.The respondents' average experience in farming was 20 years, ranging from 2 years for the least experienced to 30 years for the most experienced.The participants' average monthly household income in the Hiran region of Somalia was 180 USD; the lowest was $100, and the highest was $250.Additionally, 77% of the farmers had a source of income other than farming, and 23% of them only had farming as their source of income (Table 3).
A total of 19% of the farmers bought their land, 14% rented it, and the majority-67%inherited it.Additionally, only 2% of farmers raise animals exclusively, 52% specialize in crop production, and 46% engage in mixed farming.Furthermore, the respondents' average farm size was 3 hectares, ranging from 1 hectare to 8 hectares for the largest farm.15% of farmers do not possess a communication device, compared to 85% who do.Of people with communication devices, (67%) own both a mobile phone and a radio, (4%) have a radio and a TV, (10%) have just a cell phone, and (19%) have a mobile phone, radio, and TV.In addition, while 23% of the farmers in Somalia's Hiran region lack access to credit or loans, the bulk of them-77%-do.73% of farmers have access to services provided by agricultural extension.44% of those with access to extension services say that they receive assistance from extension agencies.With the closest market being 2 kilometers away and the farthest being 20 kilometers away, the respondents' mean distance between the farmer and the closest market was 6.5 kilometers (Table 3).
In Somalia's Hiran region, men predominated in the farming industry.This is probably due to the fact that men are more suited than women to perform the arduous tasks involved in farming (Adesiji, Matanmi, Onikoyi, & Saka, 2012).This result is consistent with previous research (Okoro, Agwu, & Anugwa, 2016) and (Kimaru-Muchai, Ngetich, Baaru, & Mucheru-Muna, 2020), which also found that men participate in farming activities at a higher rate than women.Furthermore, most of the farmers in Somalia's Hiran region were married (Table 3), adding to their burden of providing for their families and making it necessary to search for technology and climate crises to enhance the well-being of their households.Therefore, the appropriate use of agricultural and climate technologies and information was tied to marital status (Idrisa, 2009).Non-formal schooling was possessed by the majority of the farmers in the studied area (Table 3).Since education improves farmers' capacities for information acquisition, processing, and application, it is essential to the adoption of new technology and techniques.According to Ayal, Tilahun, Ture, and Terefe-Zeleke, (2021), education can improve farmers' capacity for information analysis and interpretation as well as their ability to employ resources effectively.Furthermore, compared to farmers with lower levels of education, those with higher degrees tend to be less risk-averse and more open to implementing climate-smart agriculture (CSA) methods (Kifle, Ayal, & Mulugeta, 2022).Higher education, according to Kim & Moses (2016), is probably going to expose farmers to greater information about climate crises.The average size of the household was 6.5, which is the same as the average family size in Somalia, which is 5.9 (FGS, 2013).This suggests that the majority of households had a sizable number of domestic labor resources, which are important for networking, facilitating farmers' access to information, and diversifying their sources of income.All of these factors help households better adapt to the effects of climate change.Families with larger sizes are more likely to participate in CSA activities, which raises the likelihood that they will adopt new technology and become more resilient to the effects of climate change (Kifle, Ayal, & Mulugeta, 2022).
The bulk of participants were within the active working age range and old enough to have noticed the climatic changes, according to the age results.Thus, by extending farmlands and supplying labor for crop planting, farming, weeding, fertilizer application, harvesting, and other associated agricultural tasks, they can contribute significantly to the region's production of food crops.Because they have longer planned horizons, younger farmers, in particular, are more likely to be prepared to take risks and adopt improved agricultural techniques.They also tend to have a greater understanding of farming operations.The farmers have been farming for an average of 20 years, which is important for recognizing and implementing locally smart technologies.Experience is the source of wisdom for farmers, which makes it a crucial component in determining locally wise techniques.Furthermore, since they have higher proficiency in agricultural methods and management than less experienced farmers, experienced farmers may be better equipped to transfer risk when faced with climate variability among crops, livestock, and off-farm activities (Ndambiri, Ritho, & Mbogoh, 2014).
The majority of farmers in Somalia's Hiran region have access to loans and credit.(Fosu-Mensah, Vlek, & MacCarthy, 2012) state that increased loan availability enables farmers to purchase improved hybrid seeds as well as inputs like fertilizer, crop types that are more productive, and irrigation systems that lessen the unfavorable consequences of climate change on food production.Furthermore, Kifle, Ayal, and Mulugeta (2022) suggested that having access to financing raises the likelihood that smallholder farmers will implement climate-smart agriculture (CSA) techniques, which in turn contributes to increased food security and revenue.
According to the study, farmers' average farm income was $180, which suggests that their low family income may be impeding their ability to adjust to the problems posed by climate change.
One major barrier to getting and using knowledge of climate hazards is poverty (Arokoyo, 2005).In other cases, among smallholder farmers, awareness of and reaction to the effects of climate crises are strongly correlated with income levels (Tesso, Emana, & Ketema, 2012).But aside from farming, the majority of farmers in Somalia's Hiran region also had other means of income.According to Ojo & Baiyegunhi (2020), smallholder farmers who engage in off-farm activities might be able to get above their financial constraints and invest in improved crop types, buy chemical inputs, and protect the soil.
Farmers in Somalia's Hiran region had access to services for agricultural extension (Table 3).The utilization of agricultural extension services by farmers enhances their availability of climatic data and offers them customized and regional information, encompassing details regarding climate change and its potential impact on their particular region.Just half of the farmers in the Hiran region reported receiving assistance from these organizations, even so, given that a sizable portion of them have access to extension services.This can suggest that there are problems that need to be fixed with the availability or caliber of extension services in the research region.According to Kimaru-Muchai, Ngetich, Baaru, & Mucheru-Muna (2020), giving support through training and assistance from extension services, NGOs, and international agencies is crucial to promoting farmers' access to knowledge and raising their likelihood of adopting agricultural innovations.
The majority of farmers in the Hiran region possess communication gadgets, including TVs, radios, and cell phones.The availability of climate information may be significantly impacted by this.Via communication devices, farmers who may be at risk from climate change can receive information about the changing climate.Farmers can receive weather predictions, early warning systems, and other pertinent climatic information by using this equipment.This can help them lower the risks connected with extreme weather occurrences by enabling them to make educated decisions about planting, harvesting, and applying pesticides.Owning a communication device, such as a television or radio, improved the availability of climatic projections in the Limpopo River region of South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, respectively, as revealed by Hampson, Chapota, Emmanuel, Tall, Huggins-Rao, Leclair, Perkins, Kaur, & Hansen (2015), and Oyekale (2017).According to the study, most farmers inherited their land and only produced crops on an average of 3 hectares.These findings are consistent with the study by Kim and Moses (2016).In addition, the bulk of the farmers in the area reside 6.5 kilometers from the closest market.Vorley, Lundy, & Macgregor (2009) stated that farmers who are closer to markets have a higher chance of implementing new ideas since it allows them to share and exchange information with other farmers and service providers.Additionally, the market has a significant role in determining the adaptation strategy since it facilitates information sharing among farmers (Maddison, 2006).

Access to Climate Information in Hiran, Region, Somalia
Results showed that, in contrast to just 22% of farmers surveyed, 78% of farmers had access to some information about climate change (Table 4).This implies that a sizable portion of farmers in the Hiran Region are typically knowledgeable about the local climate as well as additional environmental elements that may have an impact on their farming methods and means of subsistence.This result is consistent with the findings of Hassan and Nhemachena (2008) and Coulibaly, Birachi, Kagabo, and Mutua (2017), who found that knowledge of climate change projections is crucial for evaluating the use of different adaptation techniques and making farming decisions.

Sources of Climate Information by the Farmers in Hiran Region, Somalia
Farmers in Somalia's Hiran region reported that radio (95%), agricultural extension agents (80%), and firsthand observation (75%), were the most prevalent sources of information on climate crises.For these farmers, television (28%), social media (51%), and NGOs and international agencies (68%) were additional sources of data regarding climate change.
The findings indicate that among farmers in the Hiran region of Somalia, radio, agricultural extension officers, and firsthand observation were the most frequently utilized sources of information regarding climate change.Conversely, NGOs and international agencies, television, and social media were the least frequently used sources of information (Figure 3).According to the results of these studies, Csótó (2011), Okoro, Agwu, & Anugwa (2016), and Limantol, Keith, Azabre, & Lennartz (2016) found that radio, television, and extension services were the primary means of accessing climate forecasts in rural regions, which is consistent with our current findings. Figure

3: Sources of Information on Climate Change by the Farmers
Farmers choose radio over other media because of its availability, affordability, and ease of use when seeking information about climate change (Kimaru-Muchai, Ngetich, Baaru, & Mucheru-Muna, 2020).Additionally, radio has been connected to low maintenance expenses, low expenditures, and extensive information on climate change coverage (Oyekale, 2017).Furthermore, the information that farmers require to make educated decisions about which climate change adaptation strategies to use is made available to them through interactions with extension agents (Ojo & Baiyegunhi, 2020).

Factors Influencing Access to Climate Information in Hiran Region, Somalia
The results of the binary regression model showed that access to climate information was significantly influenced by the following factors: gender, level of education, marital status, size of farm, distance to the closest market, and support from international agencies, NGOs, and extension agencies (Table 5).In the Hiran Region, however, there was no statistically significant correlation found between the number of family members, farming experience, nonfarm income, farming system, communication devices, extension services, and credits/loan facilities available to the farmers and their access to climate information.
Information regarding climate change availability was positively and significantly correlated with gender (marginal effects =0.064, p = 0.021) (Table 5).This implies that men farmers in the Hiran Region were more likely than female farmers to receive information on climate hazards.The absence of economic or educational prospects for women in the agricultural industry, as well as the underrepresentation of women in extension services and other sources of climate knowledge, could be used as justifications for its significance.Additional justifications for this could include the fact that more men than women own radios, cell phones, and internet connections, or that males may have greater access to meetings and seminars where information about climate change is presented.Men are viewed as the main proprietors and decision-makers in agriculture on a social level (Mwangi & Kariuki, 2015).They consequently and frequently enjoy greater control over the data that is accessible and applied in farming.These findings support the claims made by these studies (Coulibaly, Birachi, Kagabo, & Mutua, 2017) and (McCarthy, Lipper, & Zilberman, 2018) that more male farmers receive climate information than female farmers.
According to the findings, there is a statistically significant correlation (marginal effects =0.069, p = 0.036) between having access to climatic information and one's marital status.This implies that married farmers have a higher chance of receiving climatic information than single farmers.Farmers in low-income nations engage in traditional and community farming, with varying levels of production depending on family size and gender (Mwalukasa, 2013).Due to their larger social networks, married people are more likely than single people to get a wider range of information, including climate-related information (Sanga & Elia, 2021).Furthermore, Deressa, Hassan, Alemu, Yesuf, & Ringler (2008) contended that since married farmers in underdeveloped countries frequently come from extended families, each one could be a source of information.Consequently, married farmers might know more about climate change than single farmers (Sanga & Elia, 2021).The resources and support a spouse provides, as well as the joint decision-making and communication among married farmers, are potential justifications for this importance.
Additionally, there was a positive correlation between a farmer's level of education and whether or not they were receiving climatic information (p = 0.046, marginal effects = 0.085) (Table 5).This suggests that respondents who claimed to have greater education were presumably receiving more knowledge on climate change than respondents who had less education.Farmers with higher levels of education likely have greater access to knowledge resources and information, or they are aware of the significance of climate information for their farming practices.Through more efficient climate monitoring, education increases understanding of the best agricultural practices for mitigating the harmful effects of climate change (Sanga & Elia, 2021).This corroborates the finding of this study by Adolwa, Okoth, Mulwa, Esilaba, Mairura, & Nambiro (2012) that a certain level of literacy and expertise is frequently necessary in order to access information and participate in the information-seeking process.It was found that the number of farmers and their access to climate data were negatively correlated.(marginal effects = -0.043,p = 0.000) (Table 5).This implies that farmers' access to climate information declines with farm size.These results contradict the study of Rehman, Muhammad, Ashraf, Mahmood, Ruby, & Bibi (2013), which found that a larger farm increases the likelihood of receiving accurate agricultural information, including climate data.Muema, Mburu, Coulibaly, & Mutune (2018) have reported elsewhere that large farm households can raise demand for climate information by spreading the risks associated with climatic unpredictability and diversifying crop possibilities.Similarly, because of the magnitude of the projected losses connected to the changing climate, large-scale farmers have an even greater need for climate information (Oyekale, 2017).However, the negative correlation shown in this study can be explained by the possibility that larger farms tend to have better access to resources and information through their networks, which reduces the need for them to look for additional sources of climate data.
Farmers' access to climate information was positively connected with the distance to the closest market (p < 0.000, marginal effects = 0.013) (Table 5).This implies that, in comparison to their counterparts, farmers who reside nearer to the market have greater exposure to climate information.This could be the case because farmers who reside nearer to the market might have greater opportunities to network with other farmers and extension agents, increasing their access to resources and knowledge.According to Hassan and Nhemachena (2008), having access to markets encourages farmers to produce surplus crop yields and other agricultural products that can be easily sold, boosting their income and improving their capacity to adjust to the harm of climate change.
According to this study, access to climate information is significantly positively correlated with support for international organizations, NGOs, and extension services (marginal effects = 0.086, p = 0.012) (Table 5).indicating that farmers receive more climate information than their rivals when they receive assistance from NGOs, foreign agencies, and agricultural extension services.By providing resources like information and training, farmers can be supported in maintaining and increasing their production even with the effects of climate change (Nhemachena & Hassan, 2007).

Conclusion
The study shows that the majority of the farmers in the Hiran region had access to climate information, and the most significant climate information channels were radio, agricultural extension agents, and firsthand observation.Access to climatic information was highly impacted by several elements, such as gender, marital status, education level, farm size, distance to the closest market, and support from foreign agencies, NGOs, and extension agencies.

Implications and Policy Recommendations
Information Channels: The fact that radio, agricultural extension agents, and firsthand observation are the most significant sources of climate information implies that these channels should be prioritized for communication strategies.Investing in these channels can enhance the effectiveness of delivering crucial climate-related information to farmers.

Targeted Outreach:
The identification of factors such as gender, marital status, education level, farm size, distance to the closest market, and support from external agencies impacting access to climate information suggests the need for targeted outreach programs.Tailoring information dissemination strategies to address these specific factors can ensure that a broader range of farmers have access to essential climate information.
Gender Considerations: Since gender is identified as a factor influencing access to climate information, there may be a need for gender-sensitive approaches in communication strategies.Ensuring that climate information reaches both male and female farmers can contribute to more inclusive and effective agricultural practices.

Education and Training:
The influence of education level on access to climate information implies that investing in education and training programs for farmers can have positive effects.Educated farmers may be better equipped to understand and utilize climate information for decision-making on their farms.

Infrastructure and Market Access:
The impact of factors like farm size and distance to the closest market on access to climate information highlights the interconnectedness of agricultural practices with broader infrastructure and market accessibility.Improving infrastructure and market access could indirectly contribute to enhancing the dissemination and utilization of climate information.

Figure
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework

Figure 2 :
Figure 2: Map of the Study Area.Author's Source (2022) analyzed the farmer's accessibility to climate information, which is crucial in the farmer's adaptation to climate change.However, these

Table 2 : Definition of (Socioeconomic and Institutional Characteristics) Factors Influencing Access to Climate Information of the Farmers Variables Climate information access 0= Accessed:1= Not accessed Category Unit of measurement
International Journal of Environmental Sciences ISSN 2519-5549 (online) Vol.7, Issue 1, No.1.pp 1 -20, 2024 www.iprjb.org