Assessment of Climate-Friendly Practices Adoption in Dairy Cattle Farming in Bagamati Province

Abstract

The dairy sector plays a central role in rural livelihoods, but it is increasingly exposed to climate related risks. The adoption of climate-friendly practices (CFPs) may help improve farm resilience while reducing emission intensity from dairy production. This study assessed the adoption of CFPs among 198 dairy cattle farmers selected from Chitwan, Dhading, and Makwanpur districts of Bagamati Province, Nepal. The study found that 59.60% of farmers reported familiarity with the term climate change, whereas 92.42% perceived climate related impacts on dairy farming after the concept was explained. Adoption was high for improved breeds (100.00%) and artificial insemination (96.46%), but low for silage making (14.65%), biogas use (24.24%), and manure composting (8.59%). Based on the adoption score, 55.35% of farmers were categorized as medium adopters, followed by low adopters (24.75%) and high adopters (19.70%). These findings suggest that farmers more readily adopt practices with immediate production or herd health benefits, whereas technically demanding or capital-intensive practices remain less common. The results indicate the need for stronger extension support, practical training, and clearer promotion of underused CFPs. Because the analysis is descriptive and cross sectional, the findings should be interpreted as patterns of adoption rather than casual relationships.