Adaptation Practices of Smallholder Farmers to Climate Change In Ankober Woreda North Shewa, Ethiopia
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Date
2019-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Climate change is rapidly emerging as a global critical development issue affecting many
sectors in the world and considered to be one of the most serious threat to sustainable
development. Adaptation to climate change involves changes in agricultural management
practices in response to changes in climate conditions. This study was done to investigate the
contributions of different climate change adaptation strategies to increase food production by
evaluating indigenous knowledge and emerging climate change adaptation strategies among
smallholder farmers in Ankober woreda. Random sampling method was used to select a sample
of 150 smallholder farmers. Structured questionnaires and participatory rural appraisal
approach were the techniques used to collect data.
The method of data analysis was both qualitative and quantitative where descriptive statistics
was used to analyses the objectives. The study identified various indigenous knowledge and
emerging adaptation strategies and evaluated institutional and socio-economic and factors
influencing the choice of these strategies. Terracing and mulching were the most common
indigenous and emerging strategies respectively. Farmer’s organization, extension services,
and access to information were dynamic in assisting adaptation of reasonable handling
strategies which improves small holder’s food production and consequently food security. The
common farmer’s adaptation strategies in the study area were growing a variety of crops, feed
preservation, time of planting, rearing different breeds of cattle and soil fertility management.
Different adaptation strategies have been practiced both at individual and group level.
Communities in the study area have developed indigenous knowledge of agricultural adaptation
strategies to cope with climate variability and extreme events. Adaptations outside of
agriculture are also important for livelihood diversification and increasing resilience to climate
variability in study area. Government, research institutions and stakeholder need to provide
climate change information to farmers through training and extension services. Research,
trainings and extension on climate change issues should be provided by both the public and
private sectors as they are crucial in ensuring farmers adapt to climate change. Investments in
infrastructure such as roads and irrigation systems, affordable credit schemes, and climate
information systems would help create the enabling conditions for adaptation to climate
change. Experience with these strategies needs to be shared among communities to assure
adaptation practices.
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Keywords
Adaptation practice, Climate change, Food Security, Smallholder farmers.