Adaptation to Climate Change in the Pastoral and Agropastoral Systems of Borana, South Ethiopia: Options and Barriers

Abstract

The pastoral and agropastoral systems of the Borana in southern Ethiopia are highly vulnerable to climate change and its impacts. Assistance to enable these smallholders to successfully adapt to future climate change in locally relevant ways can be usefully informed by the analysis and better understanding of past and ongoing adaptation. We conducted farm household surveys, focus group discussions, expert consultations and secondary data collation in 2012 in the Borana. The study employed a combination of Pressure-State-Response (PSR) framework to analyse how climate change put pressure on pastoral and agropastoral farming systems and livelihoods, and Pelling's (2011) typological framework to analyse local adaptation responses. Results showed that pastoral and agropastoral households, their communities and institutions adopted a wide range of adaptation options primarily through adjusting their farming practices and diversifying into non-pastoral livelihoods. The smallholders primarily pursued a resilience approach to adaptation with short term goals intended to avoid system disruptions instead of long-term transformational approaches that significantly address the root causes of vulnerability. A range of barriers constrained local adaptive capacity and shaped routes for adaptation. Adaptation pathways that address critical barriers to adapt, integrate indigenous institutions into adaptation and link adaptation with local development process are necessary to bring long-term and non-marginal, major changes that reduce vulnerability and ensure co-benefit of improving livelihoods.

Climate change adaptation strategies and their predictors amongst rural farmers in Ambassel district, Northern Ethiopia

“…Moreover, shortage of labour, as reported by 6% of farmers, was the least barriers to climate change adaptation. Similar results were reported by Tessema et al (2013), Belay et al (2017), Mekonnen (2018) and Nega et al (2019) who indicated lack of money, lack of information, inadequate labour and shortage of land as major barriers to adaptation measures.…”

Effects of climate change on pastoral households in the Harshin District of the Somali Region, Ethiopia

“…As a result, rainfall unpredictability could have serious effects for pastoralists’ livelihood. Various researches conducted in different locations of Ethiopia have yielded the same conclusion (Bewket 2012 ; Debela et al 2019 ; Tagel & Van Der Veen 2013 ). Participants in the FGDs agreed that today’s interannual rainfall variability was high and that the start and duration of the rainy season had become unpredictable, making cropping and pastoral activities more difficult to plan and worsening the area’s already severe feed and water shortage.…”

Effects of Climate Change on Pastoral Households in Harshin District of Somali Region, Ethiopia

“…As a result, rainfall unpredictability could have serious effects for pastoralists' livelihood. Various researches conducted in different locations of Ethiopia have yielded the same conclusion(Bewket 2012;Debela et al 2019;Tagel & Van Der Veen 2013). Participants in the FGDs agreed that today's interannual rainfall variability was high and that the start and duration of the rainy season had become unpredictable, making cropping and pastoral activities more difficult to plan and worsening the area's already severe feed and water shortage.…”