<p>The vulnerability of farmers to a broad spectrum of socio-economic and environmental stressors highlights the critical need to unravel the complex dynamics shaping their adaptive strategies. Although numerous studies underscore the essential role of irrigation development in rural adaptation to climate change, its effects on responses to multiple stressors remain underexplored. This study examines how inequalities in irrigation development influence adaptation strategies among rural communities facing multiple stressors. Through a qualitative study of 83 farmers in rural Jalisco, Mexico, I compare communities with access to a large-scale irrigation system to those without such access. The findings reveal that communities marginalized by irrigation development face substantial challenges adapting to multiple stressors, notably those arising from market pressures, water scarcity, and lack of institutional support. The economic investments required to address water scarcity through groundwater extraction hamper the ability to respond effectively to other stressors. While communities in the irrigation system are less affected by water scarcity, they are also better positioned to adapt to economic stressors through strategies to improve their financial situation. However, they are increasingly exposed to pressures associated with intensive farming, including phytosanitary issues and the escalating costs of agrochemical inputs. The study highlights a feedback loop in which each stressor amplifies the impact of others, ultimately weakening adaptive capacity and reinforcing existing inequalities. Addressing these inequalities requires policies that strengthen local institutions and ensure sustained government presence in marginalized areas.</p>