Analysis of Climate Variability and Adaptive Strategies of Rural Household: The Case of Abobo District and Itang Special Districts, Gambella Region State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Many low-income regions are largely affected by climate change impacts as a result of their relatively low adaptive capacity as pointed out by IPCC. Particularly, the change of climate has adverse implications to the Ethiopian economy with connection to different climatic parameters. The main objective of this study was to examine climate variability and its effect on rural households in Abobo District and Itang Special District. Both primary and secondary data were collected during the study. For this study, 240 HHs were interviewed from both Abobo District and Itang Special District while FDGs and KII were collected qualitatively. Relevant secondary data were also obtained from the National Meteorology Agency of Gambella station. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the characteristics of sample households and farmers' perception of climate variability. Moreover, multivariate probit model was employed to identify the determinants of smallholder farmers’ choice of adaptation strategies to climate variability. The result indicated that the major adaptation strategies applied by smallholder farmers in the study area including the use of improved crop varieties, adjusting the planting date, planting trees, crop diversification and using drought-resistant crop. Multivariate Probit model result shows that age, education, farm income, extension contact and access to credit significantly affect HHs choose of improved verity as adoption strategy; total land hold, farm income and extension contact significantly affect HHs choose of adjusting planting date tree as adoption strategy; farm income is the only factor significantly affect HHs choose of planting tree as adoption strategy; age, education, farm income and access to credit significantly affect HHs choose of crop diversification as adoption strategy and education and access to credit significantly affect HHs choose of improved verity as adoption strategy.

Impact and adaptation of climate variability and change on small-holders and agriculture in Ethiopia: A review

“… Study areas in different part of Ethiopia Factors of adaptation strategies to climate change and variability References Coffee-based farming system of Southwest Ethiopia Age of household head, Access to climate information, Access extension services, Education level, farm size, income from coffee, and agro-ecological setting [ 91 ] North-central Ethiopia (Woleka sub-basin) Financial constraints, Lack of affordable technologies, Lack of knowledge, Limited access to early warning, Uncertainty about the future, Shortage of land and Scarcity of water [ 92 ] Yabello District, Borana Zone, Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia Sex of household head, Education status of household head, Size of livestock holding, Market distance from homestead, Access to credit, Access to early warning information, Access to training, and Pastoral/agro-pastoral income [ 93 ] Dabus watershed, North-West Ethiopia Household size, Gender of household head, Size of cultivated land, Education, Farm experience, Non-farm income, Income from livestock, Climate information, Extension advice, Farm-home distance, and Number of parcels. [ 94 ] Abobo and Itang District, Gambella, Ethiopia Age, education, Farm income, Extension contact, Access to credit service, and Land holding size [ 95 ] Central highlands of Ethiopia Formal education, Lacked information Shortage of water for irrigation, and Shortage of money to buy necessary inputs, [ 40 ] Eastern Tigray Regional State of Ethiopia Age, Education, Livestock holding, Cooperatives membership, Extension services, Farmers income, Households perception, Distance to market, and agro-ecological setting [ 96 ] Eastern Hararghe zone of Oromia of Ethiopia. Gender of household head, Household size, Farm size, Distance from market, and Number of farm plots [ 97 ] …”