The team successfully initiated an assessment of drought risks and the impacts on maize in the Yellow River Basin (YRB), which enhanced understanding among researchers, local administrators, and farmer communities. For example, several village surveys and field investigations were conducted in Northwest China and the typical dryland farming in Shaanxi Province, which attempted to identify smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate change and understand their preferences for adaptation measures from 139 respondents. The crop field investigation provided more accurate and real- time practices of the adaptation technology needs of smallholder farmers, which is crucial for tailoring interventions effectively.