This study is aimed at analyzing farmers’ perception and adaptation to climate change in the Dabus watershed. It is based on analysis of data collected from 734 randomly selected farm household heads substantiated with Focus Group Discussions and field observations. The study employed descriptive methods to assess farmers’ perception of climate change, local indicators of climate change and types of adaptation measures exercised to cope up with the risk of the change in climate. The study also employed the Heckman sample selection model to analyze the two-step process of adaptation to climate change which initially requires farmers’ perception that climate is changing prior to responding to the changes through adaptation measures. Based on the model result educational attainment, the age of the head of the household, the number of crop failures in the past, changes in temperature and precipitation significantly influenced farmers’ perception of climate change in wet lowland parts of the study area. In dry lowland condition, farming experience, climate information, duration of food shortage, and the number of crop failures experienced determined farmers’ perception of climate change. Farmers’ adaptation decision in both the wet and dry lowland conditions is influenced by household size, the gender of household head, cultivated land size, education, farm experience, non-farm income, income from livestock, climate information, extension advice, farm-home distance and number of parcels. However, the direction of influence and significance level of most of the explanatory variables vary between the two parts of the study area. In line with the results, any intervention that promotes the use of adaptation measures to climate change may account for location-specific factors that determine farmers' perception of climate change and adaptive responses thereof.

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Farmers’ perception of climate change and adaptation strategies in the Dabus watershed, North-West Ethiopia

This dataset provides supplementary files for the trials and sites described in the 2011 paper in https://www.nature.com/nclimate/ available at https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/NCLIMATE1043

Replication Data for: Nonlinear heat effects on African maize as evidenced by historical yield trials

Ethiopia is one of the most vulnerable countries experiencing drought and floods as a result of climate variability and change. Climate change in the form of higher temperature, reduced rainfall, a...

Farmer’s response to climate change and variability in Ethiopia: A review

Determinants of access and utilisation of seasonal climate information services among smallholder farmers in Makueni County, Kenya.

Ethiopia is frequently cited as a country that is highly vulnerable to climate variability and change. The country’s high vulnerability arises mostly from climate-sensitive agricultural sector that suffers a lot from risks associated with rainfall variability. The vulnerability factors (exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity) of the agricultural livelihoods to climate variability and change differ across agro-ecological systems (AESs). Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze AES-specific vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate variability and change in the Fincha’a sub-basin. We surveyed 380 respondents from 4 AESs (highland, midland, wetland, and lowland) randomly selected. Furthermore, focus group discussion and key informant interviews were also performed to supplement and substantiate the quantitative data. Livelihood vulnerability index was employed to analyze the levels of smallholders’ agriculture vulnerability to climate variability and change. Data on socioeconomic and biophysical attribute were collected and combined into the indices and vulnerability score was calculated for each agro-ecological system. Considerable variation was observed across the agro-ecological systems in profile, indicator, and the three livelihood vulnerability indices-Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change dimensions (exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity) of vulnerability. The lowland AES exhibited higher exposure, low adaptive capacity, and high vulnerability, while the midland AES demonstrated lower exposure, higher adaptive capacity, and lower vulnerability. The wetland and highland AESs scored intermediate results. Our results suggest that resilience-building adaptation strategies are vital to reduce the vulnerability of smallholder farmers. The measures taken should consider site-specific agro-ecological system requirements to reduce the vulnerability of smallholder mixed crop-livestock agriculture system. Since the approach based on the long-term realization of the community, any strategy designed based on such assessments is applicable to local condition.

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Vulnerability analysis of smallholder farmers to climate variability and change: an agro-ecological system-based approach in the Fincha’a sub-basin of the upper Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia

Agriculture, especially as practiced by smallholder farmers in Ethiopia is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Expanding farmers’ adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices not only reduces risk from climate change events but also contributes to enhanced productivity and hence enables sustained investment in adaptation technologies. This paper is based on analysis of data collected from 734 randomly selected farm household heads and field observations. The paper first employs Heckman sample selection model to analyze the two-step process of adaptation to climate change (perception and response). Then it employs nearest-neighbor matching techniques to measures the impact of adopting climate-smart agricultural practices. The results reveal that farmers’ decision to use the practices is influenced by agro-ecology, specifically physical, natural and social factors. The results also suggested that households that adopted the practices experienced higher productivity by 22.2% over non-users implying that climate related risks that lead to yield variability are significantly reduced. Climate smart agriculture practices are knowledge-intensive. Therefore, scaling up these adaptation benefits of climate-smart agricultural practices requires public investment to raise awareness and provide technological support.

Adaptation Benefits of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices in the Blue Nile Basin: Empirical Evidence from North-West Ethiopia

Smallholder farmers can adapt to climate variability and change through sustainable land management (SLM) practices that help to offset the negative impacts at farm level. However, use of these practices as adaptation strategy remains low in Ethiopia in general and the study sites in particular. This study aimed at examining the factors that determine farmers’ decision to use SLM measures and to quantify the impact of the practices on crop productivity at household and plot level. The study was based on household- and plot-level primary data and employed nearest-neighbor matching technique to quantify the impact of using the practices on value of production at household level and plot level. The results revealed that households that implemented SLM practices within the period (2004–2009) experienced a 24.1% higher value of production over non-users in 2016. Similarly, plots that received SLM measures within the period (2004–2009) experienced a 28.6% increase in value of production in 2016. The study also made further analysis at plot level using continuous treatment effects in order to take into account the number of years a plot has been under the practice. The result showed plots with SLM structure that are maintained for at least 6 years have a positive increase in value of production at the end of the 6th year, while those that received the practices recently or those that lacked continuous maintenance did not experience a statistically significant increase in value of production. The result also showed marginal benefit of sustaining the SLM practices increases over time at an increasing rate. The implication is that use of SLM measures and maintenance of the structures are crucial to reap significant benefits from the practices. Although value of production increases given the SLM practices, implementation is labor intensive and there is trade-off with other agricultural activities. Therefore, policy measures are required to incentivize implementation and maintenance of the SLM structures.

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Household- and plot-level impacts of sustainable land management practices in the face of climate variability and change: empirical evidence from Dabus Sub-basin, Blue Nile River, Ethiopia

Climate change is impacting climate sensitive rural livelihood systems. Exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity of agricultural livelihoods to climate variability and change differ across agro-ecologies and these pose a challenge to climate resilient development strategy. This study assesses agro-ecology specific vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate change and variability in the Dabus Watershed (North-west Ethiopia), based on a survey of 734 farm households complemented with focus group discussion and key informant interviews. Recognizing the physiographic and climatic diversity that exists across agro-ecologies in the study area, Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) framed within the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) vulnerability framework (LVI-IPCC) is adapted to assess agro-ecology specific vulnerability in two local agro-ecologies, namely wet lowland and dry lowland. For each agro-ecology, exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity indices as well as LVI-IPCC vulnerability score was calculated. The result shows that the dry lowland agro-ecology has a relatively higher exposure and sensitivity to climate stresses with a comparatively limited adaptive capability. On the other hand, the wet lowland agro-ecology exhibits intermediate vulnerability with a relatively lower perceived exposure and higher adaptive capacity. Higher exposure relative to adaptive capacity resulted in a positive LVI-IPCC score in the dry lowland agro-ecology and positioned it in more vulnerable level than the wet lowland. A higher adaptive capacity relative to exposure unveils a negative LVI-IPCC score for the wet lowland agro-ecology and positioned it in a moderate vulnerability category. In line with the findings, there is a need to set agro-ecology specific priorities for intervention that is most needed to cop up with the effects of climate variability and change in each agro-ecology. Climate risk exposure levels can be reduced through timely provision of climate specific information and early warning systems aimed at enhancing preparedness of farm households to extreme events. It is also crucial to expand availability of infrastructural facilities such as market, health services, and veterinary services so as to enhance adaptive capacity. Supporting alternative livelihood options and enhancing water harvesting practices for supplementary irrigation also call policy attention.

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Characterizing Vulnerability of Crop-Based Rural Systems to Climate Change and Variability: Agro-Ecology Specific Empirical Evidence from the Dabus Watershed, North-West Ethiopia

The objective of this paper was to determine the factors that influence farmers’ decision to use two categories of sustainable land management (SLM) practices as adaptation strategy to climate change in the North-West Ethiopia. It was based on analysis of data collected from 734 farm household heads and employed probit regression model to analyze the determinants of adaptation to climate change through SLM measures. Based on the model result, factors, like perception of climate change, exposure to adaptation techniques, education, perception of land degradation, slope, land prone to degradation, number of parcels, crop enterprise income, land size, farm distance, economically active family size and agro-ecology are found important in determining farmers’ decision to use structural land management practices. Likewise, perception of climate change, exposure to adaptation, farming experience, slope, crop enterprise income, land prone to degradation and agro-ecology are found important in affecting farmers’ decision to use non-structural land management practices as adaptation measure. Therefore, in line with the findings of the analysis, any intervention that promotes use of land management practices as adaptation strategy should take into account agro-ecology specific factors that are relevant to the nature of the land management practices. Moreover, since scaling up of SLM practices as adaptation strategy is resource intensive, it requires both public and non-public investment for providing technological support and raising awareness. Failure to do so would adversely affect crop productivity and exacerbate food insecurity problems at farm household level.

Paulos Asrat

Papers

Farmers’ perception of climate change and adaptation strategies in the Dabus watershed, North-West Ethiopia

Adaptation Benefits of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices in the Blue Nile Basin: Empirical Evidence from North-West Ethiopia

Household- and plot-level impacts of sustainable land management practices in the face of climate variability and change: empirical evidence from Dabus Sub-basin, Blue Nile River, Ethiopia

Characterizing Vulnerability of Crop-Based Rural Systems to Climate Change and Variability: Agro-Ecology Specific Empirical Evidence from the Dabus Watershed, North-West Ethiopia

Adapting Smallholder Agriculture to Climate Change through Sustainable Land Management Practices: Empirical Evidence from North-West Ethiopia