Adaptation Strategies and Perception of Smallholder Farmers to Climate Change: The Case of Wera Sub-Watershed in Anlemo District, Central Ethiopia

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Research Paper 07/09/2024
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Adaptation Strategies and Perception of Smallholder Farmers to Climate Change: The Case of Wera Sub-Watershed in Anlemo District, Central Ethiopia

Betelhem Bizuneh, Yohannes Horamo, Berhanu Achamo
Int. J. Biosci.25( 3), 103-116, September 2024.
Certificate: IJB 2024 [Generate Certificate]

Abstract

The agricultural sector remains the main source of livelihood for rural communities in Ethiopia but faces the challenge of changing climates. This study aims to assess smallholder farmers’ perception and adaptation strategies as determinants of climate change. Both primary and secondary data were used. The primary data were collected from 130 randomly selected households for interviews and secondary data were also gathered from the Analemo District agricultural and rural development office. In addition, temperature and rainfall data for the period 1995-2014 were also gathered from National Meteorological Agency Hawassa sub-office. A frequency distribution analysis was used to summarize farmers’ perception, see the actual rainfall and temperature, and identify the different adaptation responses to climate change. A multinomial logit (MNL) model was used to identify determinants affecting farmers’ choice of adaptation strategies in response to climate change. The descriptive statistics results showed that 83.9% and 59.2% of the respondents perceived the existence of climate change in terms of temperature and rainfall, respectively. The statistical analysis also indicated that sex of households, household size, soil fertility, market distance, access to agricultural extension services, access to credit, land holding size, educational status, and livestock holding size have significant influence on the choice of climate change adaptation strategies. Generally, the choices of adaptation strategies used by smallholder farmers need to be capitalized to best responding to the existing climate change.

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