Climate Change and Variability: Farmers’ Perceptions in Sekota Woreda, Northeastern Ethiopia
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Date
2018-10
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Climate change is a global concern as it severely affects the livelihoods of the world community in general and agricultural production and food security of the farming community in particular. This study aimed to understand smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate change and variability using a survey of 168 households, key informants interviews (n = 6) and a focus group discussion in Sekota woreda of Amhara region. Survey-based data associated with external biophysical-socioeconomic data both from primary and secondary sources. Simple linear regression, nonparametric Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s methods to determine trends and coefficient of variation to determine variability, were used in rainfall and temperature data. Surveyed results showed that a significant number of farmers perceived that climate is changing, and were particularly concerned about the changes in rainfall and temperature over the past three decades. Specifically, the study suggested that increased annual average minimum temperature and average maximum temperature (0.8°C and 1.4°C per decade respectively) and decreased annual precipitation (40.79 mm per decade, both from gridded station meteorological datasets) were correctly perceived by 82 % and 87 % of the respondents respectively. Climatic trends also show fluctuations in both main rainy season and short rainy season rainfall (43.68 mm and 59.94 mm per decade respectively) and suggest a statistically significant changes over the last 30 years. The study concluded that farmers’ perceptions of climate change and variability reflect meteorological analyses which demonstrate increasing temperature and decreasing rainfall significantly.
Keywords: Climate Change, Farmers’ Perceptions, Mann–Kendall test, Sen’s method, Sekota,
Ethiopia