Abstract A deeper understanding of how smallholder farmers perceive and manage risks is crucial to identify options that increase farmers' adaptive capacity. We investigated a broad range of risks that play a role in farmers' decision-making processes. In the cotton zone of Mali opportunities and constraints vary with the resource endowment of farms. Furthermore, as households are large in this region, often comprising 20–50 family members, intra-household diversity may influence perceptions and risk management. For this reason, we analysed diversity both among and within farms. Information was gathered through focus group discussions and a survey with 250 people from 58 households. Risk was assessed as the combination of the perceived frequency of occurrence of hazards and the impact on food availability and income. Farmers faced a diversity of risks, with hazards related to animal and personal health, and climate variability of highest concern. Resource endowment of farms was related to risk perception to a limited extent. Differences within the household were related to the generational factor and decision power, and not to gender. Household members with decision power worried most about risks. Almost a quarter of described hazards occurred with a high frequency and led to a high impact on food availability and income. Low resource-endowed farms were more often exposed to high risks than other farm types. Farmers applied a variety of actions to cope with hazards, yet in many cases farmers lacked a response. Medical actions were targeted to human and animal health hazards. Changes in field and animal management practices, adapted consumption rates and calls on social interactions, were combined for a diversity of hazards. By assessing the diversity of risks encountered by farmers and the diversity of risk management actions taken by farmers, this study goes beyond common risk research that focuses on a single hazard. Our results suggest that development interventions should not focus on either agronomic or economic options separately, but combine both to strengthen social well-being and agricultural production.

中文翻译：

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马里南部对农业风险认知和管理的多样性

摘要 深入了解小农如何看待和管理风险对于确定提高农民适应能力的选择至关重要。我们调查了在农民决策过程中发挥作用的广泛风险。在马里棉花区，机会和限制因农场的资源禀赋而异。此外，由于该地区的家庭规模很大，通常由 20-50 名家庭成员组成，家庭内部的多样性可能会影响观念和风险管理。出于这个原因，我们分析了农场之间和农场内的多样性。通过焦点小组讨论和对来自 58 个家庭的 250 人的调查收集了信息。风险被评估为危害发生的感知频率以及对粮食供应和收入的影响的组合。农民面临着各种各样的风险，与动物和个人健康有关的危害以及最受关注的气候变化。养殖场资源禀赋与风险认知的相关性有限。家庭内部的差异与世代因素和决策权有关，与性别无关。拥有决策权的家庭成员最担心风险。几乎四分之一的所描述的危害发生频率很高，并导致对粮食供应和收入的重大影响。资源禀赋低的农场比其他农场类型更容易面临高风险。农民采取各种行动应对灾害，但在许多情况下，农民缺乏反应。医疗行动针对人类和动物健康危害。田间和动物管理实践的变化，适应的消费率和社会互动的呼吁被结合起来应对各种危害。通过评估农民面临的风险多样性和农民采取的风险管理行动的多样性，本研究超越了关注单一危害的常见风险研究。我们的研究结果表明，发展干预不应单独关注农艺或经济选择，而应将两者结合起来以加强社会福祉和农业生产。