Farm Household Characteristics, Climate Resilience, and Adaptation Strategies: Evidence from Maize Farming Systems in Central Lombok, Indonesia

Abstract

Climate change poses significant challenges to smallholder maize farming systems in semi-arid regions, particularly by increasing production uncertainty and livelihood vulnerability. This study aims to analyze farm household characteristics, assess the level of climate resilience, and identify adaptation strategies to strengthen the resilience of maize farmers in Central Lombok, Indonesia. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses. Primary data were collected from 136 maize farmers, complemented by in-depth insights from eight key informants representing government institutions, academia, extension services, non-governmental organizations, and farmer groups. Quantitative descriptive analysis, supported by the successive interval method, was used to evaluate farmers’ characteristics and resilience levels, while qualitative analysis using the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) was applied to formulate strategic adaptation pathways. The results indicate that maize farmers are predominantly of productive age (average 38 years) but possess relatively low formal education (8 years), with small landholdings (0.88 ha) and average productivity of 5.2 tons/ha. The overall level of farmer resilience is categorized as moderate, suggesting the presence of adaptive capacity alongside potential vulnerability risks. Adaptation strategies remain largely incremental rather than transformative. The study proposes four key strategies to enhance resilience: income protection, climate literacy and network strengthening, institutional capacity building, and irrigation system revitalization. These findings highlight the importance of integrating household characteristics with systemic interventions to promote sustainable and climate-resilient maize farming systems.