Abstract: Farmers' perception of climate change is a critical factor affecting the choice of adaptation measures. Based on 491 household survey data and farmers' perceptions indices of climate change, this paper analyzes the characteristics of farmers' perceptions of climate change in the Shiyang River Basin. Perceptions of climate change include risk perception and adaptive perception. The risk perception include sensitivity perception and severity perception, and the adaptive perception include adaptation efficacy perception, self-efficiency perception and adaptation costs perception. Using multiple linear regression method to analysis the key factors influencing farmers' perception of climate change. The results show: (1) Farmers' risk perception of climate change in the Shiyang River Basin is strong. Most farmers perceived the temperature increase, this situation is consistent with the trends of climate change in 1963-2012 in the Shiyang River Basin. And most farmers perceived the precipitation reduction, this situation does not comply with the trends of climate change in 1963-2012 in the Shiyang River Basin. Most farmers perceived drought and dust storms increase, and farmers' perception of increased drought is the strongest, followed by the perception of increased dust storms. In comparison, the perception of temperature increase and reduced precipitation of upstream farmers is stronger than the perception of middle and lower reaches, but the perception of increased drought and dust storms of the middle and lower reaches farmers is stronger than the perception of upstream farmers. In addition, most farmers already perceived the seriousness of climate change and its impacts in the Shiyang River Basin. (2) Farmers' adaptive perception of climate change in the Shiyang River Basin is relatively weak. In comparison, the adaptation efficacy perception and costs perception to climate change of the middle and lower reaches farmers is stronger than the perception of upstream famers, but the self-efficiency perception to climate change of the middle and lower reaches farmers is weaker than the perception of upstream farmers. The upstream and the middle-lower reaches farmers have taken different measures to weaken the influence of climate change on livelihoods. (3) The key factors influencing farmers' sensitivity perception are farmer's education level, farming life and channels of access to climate change information. The key factors influencing farmers' severity perception and adaptation costs perception are farmer's gender, education level and the frequency of communication with villagers. The key factor influencing farmers' adaptation efficacy perception is the frequency of communication with villagers. The key factor influencing farmers' self-efficiency perception is farmer's education level.

Key words: Shiyang River Basin, farmer, climate change, perception