Browsing by Author "Eshetu, Theodros"

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    Adaptation of Pastoral Livetock Production to Climate Change and Variability: A Case of Harshin District, Somali Region, Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2020-10) Eshetu, Theodros; Yayeh PhD, Desalegn
    Climate change and variability poses a major threat to pastoral livestock production in Ethiopia. Thus, pastoral communities positive coping and adaptation strategies need holistic support to safeguard their livestock based primary livelihood option. The purpose of this study was to determine the trends & variability of temperature and rainfall, describe climate change impact on livestock production, explore the adaptation strategies practiced and perceived success of the adaptation strategies, and determine the factors that influence the adaptation strategies. The study was conducted in Harshin Woreda, Fafan Zone, Somali region. In this study a mixed research design was applied. A total of 356 sample households were selected using systematic sampling method. Qualitative data were collected from 10 key informants and 4 focus groups discussions. Descriptive statistics, mann-kendal trend test, standardized precipitation index (SPI), precipitation concentration index (PCI), likert rating scale, and multivariate logistic regression were used to achieve the stated objectives. Pastoralist’s perceptions were examined in correspondence with climate data recorded at meteorological stations in Harshin Woreda. The climate trend and variability analysis findings over the last three decades revealed that generally there is an increasing trend of rainfall and temperature, but the rainfall pattern is irregular even within the same season. This presents difficulty for the pastoral communities to pursue their two main livelihoods; livestock keeping and farming. The prominent impact of climate change and variability in the study area is reduced livestock number and productivity, degraded pasture and browse, depleted watering points, reduced terms of trade, reduced community risk sharing practice and proliferation of livestock diseases. The principal adaptation and coping mechanisms employed to mitigate the impact of climate change are herd management; changing herd composition, increased herd mobility and herd splitting followed by rotational grazing, increased veterinary service use, destocking, feed preservation, and combing livestock production with crop production. The study portrayed the most perceived success of climate change adaptation strategy relates with herd management; changing herd composition, herd splitting, and increase mobility of livestock. The perceived success of rotational grazing, purchase of livestock feed, storage/preservation of livestock feed climate change adaptation strategies are prominent as well. As per the analysis of the socio-economic (non- climatic xii | P a g e factors), climatic factors, and perception of climate change and variability variables against the climate change adaptation strategy revealed that household sex, livestock holding, income level, educational status, access to veterinary service, access to credit, flooding, livestock disease outbreak are statistically significant in two or more climate change adaptation strategies practiced by the pastoral communities in the study area. From the study findings, it is evident that the impact of climate change and variability is massively felt in the pastoral communities of the study area affecting their means of living, social dynamics, environment at large. However, as per the findings of the study showed, the pastoral communities never fail from trying to cope and adapt to the prevailing challenging situation resulted from climate change and variability through herd management, rotational grazing, feed preservation and diversification of livelihood options. Nevertheless, effective livestock adaptation strategies are seriously constrained by lack of institutions that governs climate issue at the grassroots level, poor service and facilities that support the adaptation strategies such veterinary and credit services and lack of basic infrastructure. Therefore, as recommendations sensitization of pastoral communities on reality of climate change and variability and its impact and to strengthen the positive coping and adaptation strategies is paramount. On top of dealing on the immediate climate related problems, it is paramount for government and any development actor to work on factors to address the barriers to climate change adaptation in the study area to deal with the root causes to find lasting solution. Policy and support program should focus on strengthening community based early warning and early action and institutionalization of climate and climate change issues.