Farmers' Perception about Climate Change, its Impact on Livestock Health, and Adaptation Measures in Gandaki Province, Nepal

Background Climate change is a global challenge marked by increasing temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and more frequent extreme weather events. Climate change harms livestock health through heat stress and disease, reducing productivity and increasing illness risks. This study was conducted to examine the farmers’ perception about climate change, its impact on livestock health and adaptation measures in Gandaki Province, Nepal. Pre-tested closed ended questionnaire was used to collect information from the livestock farmers. Results Livestock farmers recognized signs of climate change, including rising temperatures, altered rainfall, and increased floods and droughts. Farmers widely perceived that climate change negatively affects livestock health, causing higher disease rates, mortality, and reduced productivity. Adaptation measures such as feeding supplements and modifying sheds were moderately used, while veterinary services and disease-tolerant breeds had low uptake. Ordinal logistic regression revealed that adaptation was significantly associated with factors such as off-farm employment, awareness of climate change, urban residence, and access to credit. Farmers with higher food sufficiency and formal education showed lower odds of adaptation. Conclusion Livestock farmers in Nepal are conscious of climate change and its adverse effects on animal health, yet uptake of adaptive measures remains low. Adaptation strategies are shaped by socioeconomic factors such as income levels, off-farm jobs, climate awareness, and access to financial resources. Expanding institutional support and resource accessibility is important to enhance adaptive capacity and mitigate climate risks in livestock systems.