Social media and farmer's resilience to drought as an environmental disaster: A moderation effect

This study aims to investigate the impact of social media, as a moderator variable, on farmer's resilience to climate change. According to the lack of investigation on the social impacts of social media, this study examines the direct and indirect effects of social media on the livelihood capitals and resilience of farmers to climate change. The purpose of the current study is categorized as applied research. Data collection was done through the survey method. Also, data analysis was done using a non-experimental and descriptive-correlation method. The statistical population consists of 36281 farmers who live in the drainage basin of the Ghezel Ozan River in Zanjan province. The sample size estimated 384 people through Krejcie and Morgan's table. Also, stratified random sampling was used by the appropriate assignment. The validity and reliability were evaluated through the convergent and discriminant validity method, and combined reliability, respectively. Data processing was done through structural equation modeling based on the partial least squares method. Results indicated that social media affects, directly and indirectly, the farmer's resilience through livelihood capitals. Also, livelihood capitals have a significant positive impact on farmer's resilience to climate change. •The widespread use of social media is an opportunity for disaster management and the use of preventive decisions to mitigate their negative effects. We use of social medias through social exchange on resilience and provides insights based on the study of a local community.•There is a lack of research into the role of social intermediaries that improves their availability in society.•This has also shown how integrating social media with social capital can explain the quality of resilience. In this regard, the effect of livelihood capitals on resilience has been studied by the moderating effect of social medias.