The role of farmers' perceptions in coping with climate change in Sub-Saharan Africa

Global climate change represents one of the most important challenges of modern times, and policy makers have a crucial role to play in the definition of policies to tackle it. In terms of Africa, the priority is to explore the means to help African policy makers - at the national level - to deal with uncertainties relating to climate change. This also includes assistance in defining the right adaptation policies. Indeed, among specific stakeholders such as farmers, perceptions of climate change are translated into decisions pertaining to agricultural practice and with regard to their autonomous adaptation strategies. These should, ideally, be based on sound scientific information so as to positively impact them.