Seite - (000278) - in Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable Development

14.3.3 LearningOpportunities fromApplyingBehavioral ChangesTheory inAdaptionProcesses Applicationof the theoryofplannedbehaviorhasvaluablepotential tocomplement and extend the monitoring and evaluation of biophysical changes (the foci of previous agriculture and food security adaptation efforts). Three major learning opportunities can be identified from its use to monitor and evaluate adaptation processes reported here. As outlined below, the interviewees’ stories of changes providedevidenceof: (i)behavioral changes inducedbyadaptationactivities; (ii) a need to maintain new patterns of behaviors and (iii) possibilities to identify adaptation-basedmetrics frombehavioral change stories. • Evidenceofvariousnewbehaviorpatterns:Stakeholders including researchers and extensionofficers frombothgovernmental andnongovernmental organiza- tionshavelearnedtheexistenceofawiderangeofchanges infarmers’behavior. It was particularly easy for them to identify adaptation-relevant behavior. Fur- thermore, themost significantchange techniqueallowedfarmers to learnhowto own the adaptation process and express views about potential barriers to adap- tationoutcomesormaintaining initiatedbehavioral changes. It providedoppor- tunities for other farmers to learn about types of changes that are occurring in their community. In thismanner it can help remove barriers related to attitude, subjectivenormsandperceivedbehavioral controlwithin farmers’communities and enhance community and other stakeholders’ engagement in the CCAFS program. • Newbehavior patternsneedmaintenance: The results also suggest that initiat- ingnewbehavior patternsmayexpose farmers to newchallenges. Their stories ofchangeprovidedresearcherswith insights intobarriers related toassetsand/or additional adaptivecapacitiesafter the farmers’ initiationofadaptation-relevant behavioral changes. Such insight will facilitate discussion by researchers, farmersandextensionofficers regardingadditional support farmersmayrequire tomaintaineffectivenewbehaviorpatterns, andavoidpotential reversion toold practices that are considered inappropriate for adaptation to climate change. Furthermore,addressing theadditionalburdens facedbyfarmersafter theyhave initiated relevant changes is important tominimize the risk ofmaladaptation to climate change. • Developing adaptation-relatedmetrics frombehavioral change stories: Char- acteristics of behavioral changes portrayed in the stories of change could be readily identified, classified, counted, and used in designingmetrics that effec- tively reflect progress towards adaptation. For instance, evidence that farmers havechangedtheiragriculturalpractices to includeassistednatural regeneration of treeson their farmland indicates that the adaptation initiativehas contributed to increases in: (i) the area of land under this practice, (ii) the agricultural productivity and production of that land, and (iii) the food security of farm households involved.This is highly significant, because assuring traceability of 264 J. Somdaet al.