UC Riverside

This study addresses the shortcomings in the literature by collecting primary, farm-level data via a questionnaire for several productive regions of California that are often overlooked in agricultural analyses. Farm-level analyses help develop bottom-up incentives for adapting to climate change and addressing water scarcity. Because it is the localized climate directly observed by the economic agent, microclimate is more likely to impact production decisions than sub-regional averages. I study the impacts of change in microclimate on agricultural productivity in desert and southern California regions while controlling fro other micro-level effects such as grower, farm, and water source characteristics. I also analyze the extent to which microclimate influences the adoption of two important water management strategies: soil moisture and salinity monitoring. In addition, I analyze microclimatic impacts on productivity and land sales at the parcel-level.