Evaluation of farmers' disaster risk reduction activities against meteorological disasters in Türkiye: a qualitative study

The most effective risks in agricultural production are natural hazards of meteorological nature. This study aims to evaluate the experiences of farmers in the Aydın province of Türkiye, whose agricultural production activities were damaged by meteorological disasters, regarding risk and damage reduction processes such as taking preventions against meteorological disasters, disaster education, early warnings and risk transfer tools within the scope of agricultural production activities. The study was designed qualitatively. Since it was aimed to obtain in-depth information, the phenomenological design was used in the study. The research was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 21 farmers who suffered from different types of meteorological disasters. A semi-structured interview form was used in the interviews. The data were transcribed and transferred to the MAXQDA 2020 qualitative data analysis program and coded. The findings were examined under four themes: “disaster education, early warnings, preventions and risk transfer”. It was determined that farmers followed meteorological early warnings but the warnings were not made on time during drought periods. It was determined that they did not receive disaster training but were willing to receive disaster training. It has been determined that strategies such as artesian well opening are mostly implemented during drought disaster periods, but the level of implementation of crop management strategies such as changing the crop variety is low. It has been determined that farmers do not take preventions against hailstorm, flood and storm disasters and that they think that precautions cannot be taken against these disasters. It has been determined that most farmers have agricultural insurance, but they do so out of necessity. It has been determined that the vast majority of farmers cannot compensate for their losses during disaster periods due to the limited coverage of their insurance policies. As a result, it is thought that in order for farmers to be more effectively protected against disasters, education and information activities should be strengthened, insurance systems should be improved, and early warning systems should be made more efficient. These measures will enable farmers to be more prepared for disasters and will contribute to minimizing the negative effects on agricultural production.