Climate change education and human well-being in the global south: insights from tea smallholder farmers in Sri Lanka

Due to the increasing frequency of climate change-related disasters, many studies have focused on climate change and its effects on well-being. However, there is a paucity of research analyzing how climate change education influences well-being, particularly in the context of the Global South. This study thus aimed to explore how climate change education transforms adaptation and mitigation strategies to enhance the ‘climate well-being’ of tea smallholder farmers in Sri Lanka, a country with a high level of climate vulnerability in the Global South. By focusing on a non-formal climate change education program on tea smallholder farmers, the study collected data from multiple sources including semi-structured interviews, field visits, and document analysis. The collected data were analyzed thematically grounded on the transformative learning theory and the concept of climate well-being of smallholder farmers which has six dimensions: physical and psychological health; safety and security; place identity; belonging and social inclusion; relational well-being and cultural and spiritual well-being. The findings highlight how experiential learning has provided a foundation for adopting climate-smart agricultural practices among tea smallholder farmers. Critical reflection and continuous dialogue have transformed their traditional farming methods to adopt climate-smart and sustainable agricultural practices that lead to effective adaptation and mitigation strategies. The study also underscores how this transformation has led to improvements in many aspects of the climate well-being of Sri Lankan tea smallholder farmers by enhancing their health, safety, place identity, and relational well-being. Despite the gaps in the development of farmers’ social inclusion and cultural well-being dimensions, the study provides evidence of how climate change education can foster climate well-being while contributing to more sustainable agricultural practices in the Global South countries.