Adaptation of Maize Farmers to Climate Risk Under the Influence of Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Risk: A Case Study in Jilin Province, China

Agriculture is particularly vulnerable to climate change, as shifting seasonal patterns disrupt farming cycles and changing rainfall patterns, along with extreme weather events, present significant challenges. From the perspectives of risk perception and risk attitudes, this study elucidates the decision-making mechanisms underlying climate adaptation behaviors among maize growers in China, providing insights to inform climate adaptation policies, land management strategies, and food security protection. This study surveyed 752 maize growers in Jilin province, China, and employed factor analysis to quantify climate risk perception and risk attitudes. Using the Probit model and moderation analysis, this study examines the impact of climate risk perception on adaptive behavior and investigates the moderating effect of risk attitude on the relationship between risk perception and climate adaptation behavior. It then explores heterogeneity across production scales and generations. (1) We categorize adaptation behaviors into three types—capital-based, labor-based, and technology-based—according to the input factors involved. Climate risk perception promotes all three types of adaptation behaviors, whereas risk aversion primarily exerts a significant inhibitory effect on technology-based adaptations. (2) Risk attitudes exert a negative moderating effect on the relationship between climate risk perception and the adaptation behaviors of maize growers. Specifically, a higher propensity for risk aversion attenuates the positive influence of risk perception on labor-based and technology-based adaptation behaviors. (3) Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the moderating effect of risk attitude is more pronounced among small-scale farmers and younger generations. In contrast, it remains statistically insignificant for large-scale operators and older-generation cohorts. Therefore, it is important to enhance farmers’ awareness of climate risks by strengthening the dissemination of meteorological information and early warnings. Technical guidance should be intensified to improve maize growers’ understanding and mastery of relevant technologies. Develop targeted land-use strategies for climate change adaptation based on maize growers’ age, farm size, and geographic location.